Last year, Google declared it wouldn’t allow developers to make adult-themed apps for its new wearable computer, Google Glass, or even allow Glass users to search for porn sites.
While that didn’t stop people from accessing the content on Google browsers, or James Deen from making the world’s first professionally shot Google Glass porno, some questioned whether the company’s restrictions on nudity, pornography, and profanity were too draconian.
If Google’s prudishness regarding adult content was ever in question, it most likely isn’t anymore. While adult entertainment provider Playboy.tv is reportedly developing an app for Google’s Chromecast, it’s unclear if the company will allow it, due to its restrictions on nudity, profanity, and other adult content.
According to GigaOm, the adult entertainment channel is developing an Android app that would allow their videos to be streamed through TVs with Google’s TV stick. Because Playboy.tv is owned by hardcore adult impresario MindGeek (formerly known as Manwin, which owns popular porn streaming sites RedTube and PornHub), it’s more hardcore than its namesake magazine, and the app will most likely be offering more explicit content.
The problem is that Google has a history of censorship when it comes to the adult entertainment industry: Like Apple, Google does not offer adult-themed apps in the Google Play store, although it obviously can’t prevent users from streaming hardcore content on their own browsers.
That being said, it’ll be at least a while before any plans for a Playboy.tv app come to fruition. So far, only a handful of companies, including HBO and Netflix, have added Chromecast support to their apps, in part because Google says its technology isn’t quite ready yet. When the Google Cast software development kit is eventually released (it’s targeted for mid-2014), we’ll see if Google changes its tune regarding adult content providers.
H/T GigaOm | Photo anvancy nakade/Flickr