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Google Explicit Content Algorithm Update: What Need to Know

Google has made some important changes in how it handles explicit content, especially videos, on websites. These changes were announced on June 4, 2025, and they are already affecting how certain sites appear in search results.

If your website has any adult or explicit content, this update matters to you. Google has shared new rules and best practices to help website owners show their content properly without breaking any rules. But if your site doesn’t follow the new guidelines, you could see a big drop in your search rankings, especially for videos.

In this blog, we’ll explain what’s changed, what Google explicit content algorithm update now expects from site owners, and how you can protect your site from losing visibility in Google Search.

What Is Google’s New Update About?

Google explicit content algorithm update was made to protect users and make search results more helpful and safe. Their update focuses on three main things:

  • Protecting people from harmful and illegal content like CSAM or non-consensual videos.
  • Improving SafeSearch filters, which help users, block specific content from their search results.
  • Punishing websites that post adult videos but don’t let Google access or scan those video files.

If your website hosts videos and you block Googlebot (Google’s crawler) from seeing those videos, your site could be ranked much lower in Google Search – especially in the Video tab.

What Are the Main Changes?

Here is what you need to learn about the latest update:

  1. SafeSearch Is Smarter

Google has made its SafeSearch tool better. This tool helps users (especially parents or schools) hide explicit content from their search results. If your content is marked correctly, it will still show to adults who want to see it – but won’t appear to people who have SafeSearch turned on.

  1. Google Can Lower Your Rankings

If you post explicit videos but don’t let Google fetch (or access) those videos, your pages may be pushed down in the rankings. This happens when Google thinks your content might be unsafe or if it can’t check the content properly.

Google said:

“If you don’t allow Google to fetch your video content files… Google may demote or filter such pages.”

This means your pages could disappear from important parts of Google Search, especially from the Video section. These are now referred to as explicit video ranking penalties.

New Guidelines for Website Owners

Google also shared new rules and tips to help sites avoid being flagged or losing traffic. These include:

  • Stopping harmful content from users (like uploads that break the rules).
  • Letting Google access your video files.
  • Avoiding age-verification gates that block Googlebot.
  • Putting explicit content on a separate section of your site (like a subdomain).
  • Using metadata (labels in your code) to clearly mark explicit content.
Why This Matters for You

Even if your site’s content is legal and appropriate for adults, if you’re not following Google’s new rules, your site may be flagged as harmful, or it may be hidden from users who want to see it. This could lead to:

  • Less traffic from Google Search
  • Lower visibility in video results
  • Mistrust from Google systems

So, it’s important to check your site now and make sure everything is set up correctly.

Simple Checklist: Is Your Site Safe?

Here’s a list of things to check on your site to make sure you’re safe from Google’s filters:

1. Can Google See Your Videos?

If your videos are hidden behind a login, paywall, or robots.txt file, Google can not access them. You need to let Google fetch the video files so it can scan them for safety and show them in search results.

2. Are You Using Proper Metadata?

You should mark adult pages using special tags or metadata. For example, telling Google that a page has adult content or is not family-friendly. This helps with best practices for explicit content SEO and ensures Google shows your content to the right audience.

3. Is Your Content Separated?

It’s a good idea to separate your explicit content into its own folder or subdomain. For example:

Instead of www.example.com/video1, use adult.example.com/video1.

This helps Google filter and rank your content more clearly in accordance with the Google explicit content algorithm update.

4. User Experience
  • Google is also watching how people interact with your website. 
  • Is it fast? Mobile-friendly? 
  • Easy to navigate? 
  • These things matter more than ever.
Is Your Website Safe?

This is the million-dollar question – did your website make it through the 2025 Google March core update? And more significantly, is it prepared for upcoming updates?

Here’s an easy checklist to help you assess your site:

1. Check Your Traffic and Rankings

Utilize tools such as:

  • Google Analytics to monitor traffic drops.
  • Google Search Console to observe changes in keyword rankings or alerts.
  • If your impressions or clicks plummeted dramatically after March 13, the update likely hit you.
2. Review Your Content
  • Is your content fresh and useful?
  • Does it fix issues or answer questions?
  • Are you simply bringing up what other websites have to say or giving something new?
  • Check particularly at blog posts, product pages, and landing pages.
3. Improve User Experience
  • Is your website mobile-friendly?
  • Does it load in less than 3 seconds?
  • Is your design clean and intuitive?

Even the best content can lose rankings if users have a bad experience on your site.

4. Are You Controlling User Uploads?

If users can upload content on your site (like in forums or comment sections), make sure you have moderation tools to block harmful uploads. Google expects websites to stop the spread of CSAM, non-consensual content, or illegal material.

5. Are Age Gates Blocking Google?

If your site has an age-verification pop-up that blocks Googlebot, your pages may not get scanned. You can use settings that allow Googlebot through while still showing the age gate to human users.

6. Are Your Robots.txt and Video Sitemaps Correct?

Your robots.txt file tells Google which parts of your site it can access. Make sure it doesn’t block video folders. Also, use a video sitemap to help Google find your video content.

7. Has Your Site Been Flagged?

If you think your site has been wrongly flagged as explicit or harmful, Google now offers better tools to fix it. You can use Google Search Console to understand the problem and ask for a review.

What to Do If You’ve Been Flagged by Mistake

Sometimes, even if you follow the rules, your site might get flagged as unsafe or explicit when it shouldn’t be. If that happens:

  1. Check your messages in Google Search Console.
  2. Fix any technical problems (like blocked videos or missing metadata).
  3. Follow Google’s new troubleshooting steps to explain your case.
  4. Request a review once you’ve made changes.

Google has added a special help section to guide you through this process.

How to Stay Safe Moving Forward

This update doesn’t mean Google is banning adult or explicit content. Instead, it’s about making sure that:

  • Users don’t see unwanted explicit content.
  • Harmful or illegal content is removed.
  • Websites are transparent about their content.

To keep your content visible and safe in search:

  • Be clear about your content type.
  • Let Google crawl and fetch your videos.
  • Remove anything that breaks the rules.
  • Keep your technical setup clean and up to date.

By following these tips, you’ll protect your search traffic and stay on the right side of Google explicit content algorithm update.

Final Thoughts

If your website has adult or explicit content, this new Google explicit content algorithm update is a wake-up call. Not following the new rules could result in lower rankings, fewer visitors, and lost revenue. But by doing things correctly, you can keep your website safe, follow the law, and allow users who are willing to see your content to view it. 

It is time to review your site, modify your settings, and ensure Google views your content in the same manner that you do.

Need expert help making your site compliant with the latest Google updates? Growthbridge Consulting is here to support you. We specialize in SEO audits, search visibility optimization, and algorithm compliance strategies. Let our team help you stay ahead of the changes and maintain your online presence.