Kickstarter reverses sexual content ban after outcry

Kickstarter is walking back recent changes to its content guidelines, which users lambasted as blanket censorship. Kickstarter announced the new adult-oriented content guidelines last week, prohibiting pornographic imagery, projects and reward tiers tied to sexual pleasure or gratification, and marketing of products designed for "insertion and penetration." The changes were made to better reflect policies set by Stripe, the platform's payment processor. Kickstarter had previously come under fire for similar restrictions on sex toy companies, which were later amended. But as of last week, those policies were back on the table. Indie companies and artists who rely on the crowdfunding site decried the move, arguing that the new guidelines limited creative expression and impacted their businesses. Many suggested moving to competitor sites like Patreon. "Honestly? We botched it. The rules didn't land the way we intended, and the response from our community let us know loud and clear that we got it wrong," wrote Kickstarter COO Sean Leow in a May 19 blog post. "The decision we made was an abandonment of the core counterculture, f*ck the establishment spirit of Kickstarter, and it left ou

May 20, 2026 → May 20, 2026