Ridiculous new regulations from the U.S. Dept. of Justice that go into effect today, regulations that the 10th Circuit Court of Appeals has previously found to be unconstitutional, restrict your ability to share photos containing adult content online.

Gay.com sent out an email outlining the new guidelines, which have forced them to pull all adult content from their site until it is vetted.

New standards for “sexually explicit” content on Gay.com

* An image of a hand holding or touching genitals, or appearing to grip or stimulate genitals, is considered masturbation and is prohibited.

* An image of a hand clearly “cupping” or covering genitals for the purposes of keeping them covered is allowable.

* An image of a hand inside pants is prohibited as it implies masturbation.

* Pictures with more that one person that include nudity are prohibited.

* All cartoons are prohibited.

* While images of a nude person on all fours is allowable, an image showing the buttocks being held apart by hands is considered explicit and is prohibited.

* In the interest of safety, images of nude children (e.g., a nude baby at the beach with her two dads) will not be allowed.

* A clothed person posing with a pet is allowed, but a nude person with an animal is prohibited. (No more walking your dog in the nude!)

* An image of a person in a bondage or fetish outfit is allowed (but please, no polyester!).

* Images that depict bondage or S&M “abuse” are prohibited. (Shockingly, images from Abu Ghraib prison would be censored under the new regulations.)

* Digital images run through an illustrator filter on software will be held to these same standards.

I’m sure Spokane Mayor James West and Jeff Gannon are busy right now pulling down profile photos that show them pulling their butt cheeks apart. All kidding aside, these new regulations are both confusing, horrific, and disgustingly puritanical.

More on the new 2257 regulations over at Fleshbot.
(thanks Eric)