Just to expand on what I said... I genuinely can’t tell whether people are catastrophizing this or if there’s actually a broader shift happening. That’s why I’m asking for clarity.
If this extends beyond explicit NSFW content and starts applying to mature-themed works that feature younger-looking characters in suggestive contexts, then that’s a much bigger deal. I’ll be honest: I don’t even know what Papa Milk was, so I’m missing some context here.
If, however, this is strictly limited to explicit NSFW material, then it’s not quite as apocalyptic as some are making it out to be. I say that as someone who regularly uploads NSFW doujinshi. On MangaDex, those might get 300–700 bookmarks, while on other platforms the same release can pull 30k–70k. I like having the option to upload here and I use it, but this alone wouldn’t be the end of MD. It just depends on how far this goes.
On rule 3.1.1 specifically:
“3.1.1 Illegal Content, in particular, child pornography, child abuse and drug abuse.”
The inclusion of “drug abuse” feels out of place and overly broad. Depictions of drug use are common across all forms of media... film, television, literature... and are often used to portray reality or explore serious themes. There isn’t a blanket law against fictional depictions of drug use. As written, the rule could technically apply to a wide range of mainstream works, including manga currently on the site. It should just be removed.
More broadly, the wording of 3.1.1 feels overly literal and ambiguous at the same time. It doesn’t clearly distinguish between real-world illegality and fictional depictions. Adding qualifiers like “non-fictional” or “real-world” where appropriate... or explicitly clarifying how fictional portrayals are treated... would remove a lot of confusion.
At the end of the day, I’m asking for clearer boundaries so uploaders aren’t left guessing where the line is.
