Most nude content is legal, and engaging with such material online provides individuals with a safe and open framework to explore their identities, build communities, and discover new interests. However, social networks and payment processors are intervening to become the arbiters of how people create and engage with nudity and sexuality—both offline and in the digital space. As a result of this flawed system, a crucial form of engagement for all kinds of users has been removed and the voices of people with less power have regularly been shut down.
One recent illustration is the censorship of True Naked Yoga—a platform providing online naked yoga videos. In August 2022, payment processor Stripe banned True Naked Yoga, calling it a “restricted business,” which contravened Stripe’s service agreement. Stripe gave True Naked Yoga just four days’ notice before the account was closed.
Stripe had reviewed the site in December 2021 and did not flag any problems, nor did it give True Naked Yoga any warning that the terms of service had changed. The abrupt ban forced True Naked Yoga to shut down for more than one month until it could find a new payment processor.
Processors are entitled to enforce their terms of service, but this is a shameful way to do it, and a terrible precedent. Payment services provide vital financial pathways for companies and nonprofits. Websites—whether they accept online donations, sell goods online, or simply have a bank account—rely on their financial institutions to ensure they can continue to operate. We’ve seen[…]
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