![](\"https:\/\/s3.cointelegraph.com\/uploads\/2023-02\/fdb93ff5-bd1e-4ed5-9bc3-54a1ad3819eb.png\")
<\/p>\nOnly days after the launch of the Bitcoin (BTC)-based Ordinals protocol, its creator had to deal with their first shock pornographic image which has been inscribed into the blockchain. <\/p>\n
On Feb. 2 at around 12:15 AM UTC, an unsavory image known as \u201cgoatse\u201d was inscribed onto the Bitcoin blockchain via the Ordinals protocol.<\/p>\n
It featured on inscription 668 and was live on the Ordinals’ front page for roughly half an hour before the image was removed. It still exists on the blockchain but is not able to be viewed using the Ordinals website.<\/p>\n
Ordinals creator, Casey Rodarmor, told Cointelegraph he acted quickly to remove the image from the Ordinals website but admitted there isn\u2019t much that can be done to stop future instances given the nature of the protocol. <\/p>\n
He is at least working on a solution to stop the images appearing on the Ordinals website.<\/p>\n
The image, known as \u201cgoatse,\u201d depicts a man manipulating his anus. Due to its shock value, it\u2019s often used to trick internet users.<\/p>\n
Rodamor said for the moment, that there was no way to hide certain inscriptions on the Ordinals’ website without manual input.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe explorer has a config file that can be used to hide certain inscriptions, so we decided that was not very pleasant to look at,\u201d he said. \u201cWe added it to that config file and now the server does not return that inscription and will not return that content.\u201d<\/p>\n
Ordinals has a simplistic website with every new inscription appearing on its home page. <\/p>\n
While Rodarmor plans to have a \u201cvery liberal content policy\u201d where people will \u201ccertainly\u201d be able to inscribe pornographic images, he would like to censor them until he finds a way to automatically keep them off the first page, such as creating a separate space for them on the website.<\/p>\n
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Critics of blockchain technology have concerns that its immutable nature could be used to forever host illegal or grotesque media while others argue its censorship resistance should be a key feature.<\/p>\n
Asked if he was concerned about the criticism Ordinals may receive for censoring certain images, Rodarmor responded:<\/p>\n
\u201cThe inscription is still on the chain and if you run your own copy of Ordinal \u2014 which everybody is free to do \u2014 it will not have that config file and you will see the gaping butthole if that is what you so desire.\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n
He added his site is just one instance of the block explorer and hopes others create more where they can \u201cimplement their own moderation policies according to their tastes.\u201d<\/p>\n