"The entire back catalog as well as new issues of Playboy magazine will become available on the iPad in March 2011, Playboy founder Hugh Hefner revealed via Twitter.
Furthermore, Hefner confirmed on Twitter that Playboy will be coming to iPad in its uncensored form, which makes sense, as we doubt many would be ready to pay for a watered-down version of the magazine."
Which is certainly true. But Steve Jobs has been very emphatic that porn and sexually explicit material will never be allowed on iTunes. Full frontal nudity, as in Playboy? That would seem to go against Jobs' policy. The Playboy app that's now available does not have any nudity in it.
Yet Hefner seemed pretty certain. He didn't say "We are working on getting Playboy available..." He said it "will" be available.
So which is it? Will Apple lower its standards? While Playboy's a big company, they seem to be losing some of their clout (I could be wrong, but that's the impression I get). Are they convincing Apple to make allowances for them, with the proper safeguards to prevent minors from getting access? I'm honestly not sure exactly how they would do that.
As Mashable points out later in the article, what does this mean for the future of adult material on the Apple platform? Is this the thin end of the wedge that will ultimately allow other age-restricted material onto iTunes?
And is this a good thing?
Personally, I don't think it's a bad thing as long as they don't allow it to be a slippery slope. If something's available down at the local gas station, I don't mind it being on the iPad (as long as they have effective ways to restrict it, which as I said, I'm having trouble imagining how they would do that). I do think they should keep sexually explicit apps out of the store, though.
That's a bit different.
Anyway, it will be interesting to see whether this really does come out in March.
Will you buy it? Just for the articles, I mean?
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I don't know what it says about me that I was curious enough to read something about "iPad" and "Playboy" when I've only ever used an iPad a bit (husband borrowed one from work) and I've only ever read a Playboy article online (old interview with Stephen King, blessedly free of any nudity, lol).
ReplyDeleteBut yes, I'd think the age restriction part would be the difficult part. Young kids certainly do know how to lie about their age on the internet.
I really have no problem with Playboy (I'm a free speech sort of liberal feminist, I guess), but, as you say, kids don't need easy internet access to even more adult internet content.
I think it says "Hey, my friend wrote a blog. Let's see what he said!" LOL
ReplyDeleteIt will be interesting to see what kinds of safeguards are put into all of this.
absolutely not. Even for the articles it's the serpent in the garden of eden.
ReplyDeleteHi Nikole!!!
ReplyDeleteWow, a new visitor. I don't know what to do with that. :)
Are you saying that about Playboy in general, or just the iPad? I mean, are you saying that because of the lack of safeguards, it's a bad idea?
Or are you saying it shouldn't spread anywhere that it already isn't because where it is already too much?
Just curious.
Welcome! I hope you check out the rest of the blog and let me know what you think.
I hope it doesn't happen but if it does, I hope there are safeguards in place. I have a difficult time protecting my daughter from unwanted images and info as it is I really don't want Itunes to become another arena that I have to monitor. Jeez....
ReplyDeleteConsidering Jobs' anti-porn stance, I can't imagine them doing this without any safeguards.
ReplyDeleteNot to mention that I'll bet any subscription would be very close to what the magazine costs anyway. Unless they've got their own credit card, $4.99 (maybe a discount since it's electronic) a month showing up on Mom's credit card might be a bit obvious!
I was talking about Playboy. I have nothing against apple even though I am a pc user. LOL
ReplyDeleteHey Nikole
ReplyDeleteI think I understand your meaning. Basically, if you could, you'd get rid of Playboy altogether. But since you can't, keeping it off devices like the iPad is good enough?