Civitai left the UK due to stringent regulations under the Online Safety Act and payment processors’ demands to remove adult content, making it untenable for the platform to operate there. This move highlights broader concerns about corporate and regulatory control over AI-generated and user-generated content, potentially limiting freedom and creativity across global digital platforms.
The video discusses why Civitai, a popular AI art and model-sharing platform, has left the UK and the broader implications of this move on AI-generated content and online platforms. The core issue began with payment processors Visa and Mastercard, who cracked down on websites hosting adult content after a major lawsuit involving Pornhub in 2014. Due to their tightened terms of service, these companies demanded platforms like Civitai remove adult content to continue using their payment services. Although Civitai complied and even shifted to cryptocurrency payments, new UK regulations made it impossible for them to continue operating there.
The UK government introduced stringent rules under the Online Safety Act, including requirements for biometric ID verification and detailed content checks to regulate what can be shown online. Civitai deemed these regulations too burdensome for a smaller company and decided to block access to their site from the UK entirely. This decision not only affects UK users but also impacts creators worldwide who rely on Civitai to host and update their AI models and loras, leading many to remove their content from the platform.
The video highlights that these regulatory changes are not isolated to Civitai but affect the entire online ecosystem involving user-generated and AI-generated content. Platforms like Patreon, which support many artists including those creating AI-generated adult content, may also face similar restrictions or bans in the UK. Meanwhile, YouTube has announced a crackdown on AI-generated content, aiming to ensure authenticity and originality, but the criteria for distinguishing between mass-produced AI content and genuine artist-created AI works remain unclear.
Additionally, the gaming platform Steam has also complied with Visa and Mastercard’s demands by removing hundreds of games containing adult content, illustrating how payment processors wield significant influence over content availability worldwide. The video questions why decisions made by US-based corporations and legal systems have such a global impact, affecting users and creators in countries that are not part of those jurisdictions.
Ultimately, the video expresses concern that these developments represent a loss of freedom and control for users and creators, driven more by corporate interests and financial considerations than genuine protection. It warns of a dystopian future where corporations, rather than governments, dictate what content is accessible and how people can engage with digital platforms. The creator encourages viewers to reflect on these issues, share the video, and become active in opposing such restrictive measures.