Justin Timberlake’s ‘Tunnel Vision’ Video Still On YouTube Despite Explicit Content: Google Calls The Video Artisitic

The video of Justin Timberlake’s single, “Tunnel Vision,” has not been removed from YouTube, despite the fact the 7-minute-long footage features explicit content. A Google Inc. (NASDAQ:GOOG) representative said the decision to retain Timberlake’s video on the company’s YouTube was made because nudity, if portrayed artistically, is exempt from being banned on the popular video-sharing site.

“While our Guidelines generally prohibit nudity, we make exceptions when it is presented in an educational, documentary or artistic context, and take care to add appropriate warnings and age-restrictions,” the Google rep told ABC News Friday.

Timberlake had previously posted a link to the video via his Twitter account, along with a warning to followers that it contains mature content:

This episode comes months after Google banned singer Robin Thicke’s “Blurred Lines” video, noting it contained female nudity.

Timberlake’s “Tunnel Vision” video premiered on his Myspace page on July 2, and the next day it was published on Timberlake’s official website as well as on YouTube, where it has since garnered more than 2 million views.

In March, David Bowie had his “The Next Day” video banned by YouTube for extreme violence and religious imagery, MTV reported. But the video was later reinstated, and YouTube even issued an apology for banning it, MTV said.