Twitter has revised the age rating of its Vine application 17+ on the Apple app store following complaints of pornographic content.
At its launch at the end of January, the video sharing app was rated as suitable for those aged 12 and above, but following the release there was a boom in pornographic content being circulated, with one such clip finding its way into the “Editor’s Pick” selection and prompting widespread uproar.
The level of pornographic content was such that Twitter embarked upon a mission to prevent the use of Vine for inappropriate content, banning the search terms, #porn, #boobs and a number of users that had been posting explicit content.
Developers are currently tasked with recommending age ratings for their own apps, when made available on the Apple app store. Apple provides a checklist, and thereafter checks and approves developer’s suggested ratings.
Despite the age rating being changed to 17+, users under that age are still able to access the content by simply clicking away an age warning box which pops up on the screen when downloading the app. This has prompted calls for parents to be made aware of the risks to their children and to make greater use of parental controls and supervision.
