A Storm of Controversy: CivitAI's New Content Policies
Discontent among Civitai's userbase after implementation of restrictions on explicit content in AI-generated art on their platform.
In the world of AI-generated content, a tempest has brewed. CivitAI, once known as the uncensored wonderland for creators, has sparked widespread outrage by introducing stringent new content guidelines.
Formerly considered the Wild West of AI-art, CivitAI, while never explicitly an adult platform, did cater to various NSFW communities. Furries, adult-oriented anime, and extreme BDSM enthusiasts were just a few of the niche groups that found a home there.
The platform's April 2025 updates tightened the reins. New rules disallow content related to incest, self-harm, diapers, and numerous bodily excretions. All NSFW uploads now necessitate metadata to remain visible, along with a more sophisticated moderation system designed to enhance content tagging and safety.
The fallout has been dramatic. The loss of popular content segments and the neutering of monetization options for images featuring real people, particularly celebrities, has left creators disgruntled. The platform's post currently boasts over 950 negative reactions versus a mere 375 supporting votes.
Rampant complaints have filled Reddit and X forums, with users bemoaning the sudden removal of content and demanding more transparency. User Dario Hernandez, one of the 3.2 million platform users, lamented, "It makes no sense...Characters in these generations don't exist, don't hurt anyone, and nobody should care about them."
Many suspect the policy changes stem from external pressures, particularly from payment giants like Visa and Mastercard, historically strict on adult content. As these policy clampdowns accumulate, CivitAI struggles to balance keeping payment processors content and satisfying a creative, yet sometimes provocative community.
Alex Cardinel, CEO of AI platform Nomi, wrote in a lengthy Reddit post, "The issue is 100 percent caused by Visa, and any company that accepts Visa cards will eventually add these restrictions. There is currently no way around this, although I personally am working very hard on sustainable long-term alternatives."
CivitAI has yet to comment on Decrypt's request.
Panic-downloading and community archiving have become trends to safeguard personalized models and content. Users are shifting toward local AI generation tools and advocating for sharing models and resources through torrents. Alternative platforms like TensorArt, DiffusionArc, and Civitai Archive have garnered attention.
Despite comprehending the necessity of compliance, users harbor a sense of betrayal, concerned that even mildly risqué content may be next on the chopping block. "It's always just one more screw tightened," complained user SneakyStoat. "Eventually, there's no screws left to tighten because the whole thing is dead from all the compounding regulations and censorship."
Edited by Josh Quittner and Sebastian Sinclair
Generally Intelligent Newsletter
Recent Developments in CivitAI Content Policies: A Deep Dive
In an effort to improve safety and adhere to legal standards, CivitAI has implemented new content guidelines across their platform. Key changes include:
- Content Restrictions: The platform has banned certain categories of content such as incest, self-harm, diaper, and bodily excretions. Content identified as real-individual resources will also be removed from public feeds.[1][2]
- Metadata Requirements: All NSFW (Not Safe For Work) uploads now require metadata to remain visible.[1]
- Moderation and Filtering: CivitAI has revamped its moderation system to better filter out problematic content, particularly child/minor themes.[2]
- BYOI Feature Adjustments: Images generated using the BYOI feature must now apply at least a 50% noise alteration to reduce deepfake possibilities.[2]
Despite the aim to protect the platform and comply with regulatory demands, these changes have led to widespread dissatisfaction within the community. Many fear that the loss of creativity and freedom may lead to the death of the platform due to mounting regulations and censorship.
Some users have resorted to downloading and archiving content, while others have turned to decentralized methods like torrents and alternative platforms like DiffusionArc and TensorArt. This shift underscores the ongoing debate about censorship, creative freedom, and the ideal balance between safety and unfettered expression within AI-generated content communities.
[1] Woman, 21, Faces Prosecution for Allegedly Creating Revenge Porn with Deepfakes (Decrypt, April 10, 2025)[2] South Korea Passes Controversial AI Bill, Including Clauses Criminalizing AI-Generated Child Porn and Deepfakes (Decrypt, April 5, 2025)
- The new content policies introduced by CivitAI have sparked controversy in the AI-generated content world, with the platform now banning content related to incest, self-harm, diapers, bodily excretions, and real-individual resources.
- Alongside these content restrictions, all NSFW uploads now require metadata, and CivitAI has overhauled its moderation system to better filter out problematic content, particularly child/minor themes.
- Images generated using CivitAI's BYOI feature must now apply at least a 50% noise alteration to reduce deepfake possibilities.
- The changes have led to widespread dissatisfaction within the community, with users fearing the loss of creativity and freedom may lead to the death of the platform due to mounting regulations and censorship.
- As a result, some users are panicking and downloading content to safeguard their personalized models and content, while others are turning to decentralized methods like torrents and alternative platforms like DiffusionArc and TensorArt.
- The ongoing debate about censorship, creative freedom, and the ideal balance between safety and unfettered expression within AI-generated content communities continues.
- Policy clampdowns and the balance between satisfying a creative, yet sometimes provocative community while keeping payment processors content remain a challenge for CivitAI, as they struggle in the face of external pressures, particularly from payment giants like Visa and Mastercard.
