On the site for the last while there have been discussions with the members on the public forums as well as privately in our Staff forum about the use of pictures and what is allowed on GA and what isn’t.

As a site we strive very much on keeping most of GA free for all our members and guests. Our main revenue streams are Premium Membership and ad revenue from Google Ad Sense. Our Premium members contribute monthly or yearly to help defray the server costs as well as the helping to run the popular contests as well as soliciting Premium works. Google Ad Sense is applied to the site needs the same way. The staff are all 100% voluntary, giving generously of their time.

We have been evolving as a free webpage over the years, from our early beginnings to our current format which will be updated even more in the near future. One of the aspects of the site that is very popular is the Gallery Bar at the top (if you haven’t closed it) of the Forums page. Those pinned images also take visitors to the public member galleries with personal albums where there are even more pictures.

Recently an active topic started up in the Lounge where we got down to what constitutes a copyrighted image and what kind of images are allowed on the site. If you haven’t seen that topic or would like to read it again, it can be found here. Mentioned in that topic is that Google Ad Sense has some certain rules regarding what images can be allowed when shared with a Google Ad on the same page. If you click through our pages, you most likely will see a Google Ad at the top or bottom of the page. This helps create the revenue to keep the site free.

Google Ad Sense rules are what we, the Administrators of the Site, have used as guidelines to protect our ability to use their program. They are:

Not allowed:

• Nudity
• Strategically covered nudity (eg: arms and legs covering genitals or breasts)
• Sheer or see-through clothing
• Lewd or provocative poses
• Close-ups of breasts (women), buttocks, or crotches
• Partially clothed underage persons (below 18 years of age)
  

There will always be images that push those boundaries, and we, as a site, will now be more proactive in monitoring these basic rules. These will be for images posted to our galleries, images in member Avatars, Blogs, and also but not least, images linked in stories or topics. We included the last rule because as a site we strongly discourage minors from posting images of themselves. This is a basic internet safety precaution and we will continue to stress this. These images won’t be banned, but we ask that underage members take into consideration their own personal internet safety by not posting searchable images of themselves or friends who haven’t given permission for their image to be on site.

Going forward, you will be notified of these rules when uploading pictures in the Gallery and on your profile for your avatar. The no links rule will be upon the individual members to police themselves and, if reported, the Forum Moderation Team will investigate. In the past the FMT hasn't really leveled warnings as there was a grey line on what was allowed. Hopefully with these clearer rules, we won't have to investigate more because members will understand our reasoning and adhere to the rules. Please also understand that we know you can turn on any major sports channel and see male divers/swimmers in their ever revealing speedos, but this does not constitute what normal dress is. If you want to post a picture of shirtless male, we don't want to see him in either his underwear or his speedos.