CGTrader destroyed years old portfolios with their overnight policy changes on Adult Content

I freely admit my toads and frogs are naked. suspended and still naked.

I freely admit my toads and frogs are naked. suspended and still naked.

I am posting this from a separate seller account because I am genuinely concerned that publicly criticizing the moderation system could put the primarily affected account at additional risk.

The affected portfolio also belongs to me. That account has now experienced two waves of mass suspensions, including 14 models suspended simultaneously. The only model published on this account was suspended as well, meaning the automated action removed 100% of this account’s portfolio from sale.

CGTrader, this is no longer simply a content moderation issue. It is a serious failure of the entire moderation and appeal process.

During the first wave, several of my models were suspended at the same time. After contacting support, I was informed that the automated scanner had been applied too broadly. The affected models were later restored.

That should have been the end of the problem.

Instead, the same thing has now happened again, on an even larger scale. This time, 13 models from my main portfolio were suspended at once, including models that had already been restored after the previous incorrect automated review.

This means the underlying problem was never actually fixed. Only the consequences of the first failure were temporarily reversed.

The new answer from support is that sellers must now appeal every suspended model individually using the Appeal button, wait up to five business days, and accept that if the suspension is upheld, the decision is final.

Support also states that it cannot review or act on suspension appeals through email or support tickets.

This is not an adequate solution.

The current process appears to work like this:

1. An automated system can suspend many products instantly.
2. Those products immediately stop generating sales.
3. The seller must manually appeal every product one by one.
4. The seller then waits several business days while losing income.
5. No exact violating image, file, pose, or element is identified.
6. Support refuses to investigate or correct the suspension directly.
7. If the appeal is rejected, the decision is final.
8. Nothing prevents restored models from being suspended again during the next automated review.

In other words, the automated system acts immediately, while creators must spend days correcting its mistakes.

Creators are effectively being used as unpaid quality assurance testers for an automated moderation tool.

There is another deeply concerning part of the new appeal process.

Before submitting an appeal, the seller must confirm that the model does not violate the policy and acknowledge that submitting a “false appeal” may affect the status of the entire account.

However, CGTrader does not explain what exactly constitutes a false appeal.

A knowingly dishonest appeal is one thing. A good-faith disagreement with a vague and subjective interpretation of terms such as “suggestive,” “provocative,” or “implied nudity” is something entirely different.

A rejected appeal must not automatically be treated as a false appeal.

Under the current process:

* the automated system suspends a product without identifying the exact violating image or element;
* the seller cannot properly understand what triggered the decision;
* the seller is allowed only one appeal;
* the result is final;
* and the seller is simultaneously warned that appealing may affect the status of the entire account.

This creates an obvious chilling effect.

Sellers may be afraid to challenge even clear false positives because the platform implies that doing so could place their entire account and business at risk.

CGTrader is effectively asking sellers to guarantee that their interpretation of an unclear policy will match the final interpretation of an undisclosed reviewer.

That is not a fair requirement.

CGTrader should clearly define:

* what qualifies as a false appeal;
* whether a rejected appeal is considered false;
* what consequences may be applied to the account;
* whether those consequences apply only to knowingly deceptive appeals;
* and how sellers can challenge genuine automated errors without risking their entire business.

A good-faith appeal against an automated false positive must never be treated as misconduct.

The explanation that these changes are driven by Google and other external platforms does not answer the actual problem.

Even if CGTrader is required to apply stricter rules to adult or suggestive material, the method of implementation is CGTrader’s responsibility.

Google did not choose to:

* suspend 13 of my products simultaneously;
* repeatedly suspend models that had already been restored;
* suspend 100% of the portfolio on another account;
* provide no exact reason for each individual suspension;
* remove products from sale while appeals are pending;
* require a separate appeal for every false positive;
* prevent support from reviewing obvious mass errors;
* warn sellers that appealing may affect their account status;
* make a rejected decision final;
* or remove the seller’s access to uploaded product files.

CGTrader made those choices.

CGTrader already has an Adult Content visibility system. Models can be hidden from external visitors or displayed only to users who allow adult content.

That is completely different from suspending a product and removing it from sale.

If a model merely requires an Adult Content label, why is it suspended instead of being classified appropriately?

Why are fully clothed characters, male characters, character collections, clothing, anatomical objects, and other ordinary products being suspended under a policy supposedly targeting explicit and suggestive material?

This discussion already contains reports of absurd false positives involving clothing, a neuron, a skull bracelet, and even a frog catching a fly.

These are not subtle disagreements about artistic boundaries. They demonstrate that the system cannot reliably understand context.

There is also a serious issue regarding access to creators’ files.

When one of my models is suspended, I lose access to the product and its uploaded files through my seller account.

What happens if an appeal is rejected and the decision becomes final?

Will the creator still be allowed to download the original files, textures, previews, descriptions, and other materials they uploaded?

Will CGTrader provide a one-time export?

Or will the platform continue storing those files while denying their creator access to them?

CGTrader does not become the owner of an artist’s intellectual property merely because the artist uploaded it to the marketplace.

A suspension may justify removing a listing from public sale, but it should not prevent the creator from retrieving their own work.

There is also a contradiction that requires clarification.

CGTrader’s published General Terms state that when a product is removed, sellers may submit a motivated appeal within 30 days by contacting support, and that CGTrader will review the appeal and communicate its decision within 15 days.

Support is now telling sellers that email and support tickets cannot initiate or affect an appeal, that only the Appeal button may be used, that reviews take five business days, and that the result is final.

Which procedure is actually valid?

Why were the published Terms not updated before this new system was imposed on sellers?

I am not asking for special treatment, and I am not arguing that genuinely explicit or prohibited content should never be moderated.

I am asking for a functional, transparent, proportionate, and fair process.

CGTrader should:

* immediately pause mass automated suspensions until the false-positive problem is fixed;
* restore products affected by obvious mass moderation errors pending manual review;
* provide a bulk appeal option when many products are suspended simultaneously;
* identify the exact image, file, pose, or element that triggered each suspension;
* ensure that restored models are not automatically suspended again for the same reason;
* allow support staff to escalate and correct obvious system-wide errors;
* guarantee sellers access to download their own uploaded files regardless of listing status;
* clearly define what constitutes a false appeal;
* confirm that rejected good-faith appeals will not damage account status;
* publish clear and consistently applied content standards;
* clarify the contradiction between the current appeal system and the published Terms;
* and provide sellers with advance notice and a transition period when major policies are applied retroactively.

Artists and sellers cannot build a reliable business on a marketplace where years of work can disappear overnight because of an automated false positive, while the only response is:

“Appeal every model individually, accept the risk to your account, and wait.”

A marketplace cannot demand responsibility from its sellers while refusing to take responsibility for its own moderation system.

It's interesting. They are based in Lithuania (EU). Changes to terms and conditions must be announced in advance (14 to 30 days). They can't be implemented "over night". Did they send any notice in regard to the changes? Also automated decision making is strictly regulated by EU law (GPDR). So taking models offline based on AI decision can be contested if you are an EU citizen. You can demand human interaction based on Article 22 GDPR. It would not surprise me if a payment processor is pressuring them like for example Steam was by credit card companies in regard to adult/NSFW content in games.

cgtrader's AI regularly deletes my carrots, mushrooms, or even croissants, calling these models "sexual in nature." I wrote to support, and some of the models were restored. However, their very strange AI continues to delete my zucchini and radishes. cgtrader's AI has very funny sexual preferences, but this is starting to get annoying.

Meh, I got a chandelier suspended for NSFW content, I guess the AI found it too sexy...

The situation is reaching the point of absurdity. If female models are blocked for NSFW content, it's plausible that the AI ​​deemed them too revealing. But in my case, the NSFW block was for a children's bicycle—without any logos, brands, or elements that could violate the rules. This clearly looks like a moderation error.

Hello, I'm experiencing the same situation. Literally all of my 3d models of females got suspended because of NSFW. Most of them were fully clothed too and no overexaggerated proportions. The dumb moderator just saw "female", "X chromosome" "This must be pornographic content"

All this situation is ridiculous, just pushing the use of an AI system that doesn't work.
And even more ridiculous they do not allow to edit suspended models.
CGTrader is becoming a joke

I can imagine what a scandal would happen if their AI found out that many infants see naked female breasts several times a day. )
Is there any alternative to this site where you can safely sell 3D models without paranoia?

In case anyone else is in the same boat, I contacted CGTrader's support team exactly one week ago, and I still have not received a response. In the past, it was typical for them to respond to a support ticket within 1-2 business days.

Perhaps, they're overwhelmed by the fallout caused by entrusting the AI Terminators... I mean, AI moderators. Or perhaps, AI axed them like it axed so many of our models.

Totally agree, many of my models were thrown away, even destroying my sales.

Totally agree, many of my models were thrown away, even destroying my sales.

The recent AI suspension wave has wiped out over 50% of my best products, alongside a ton of unique work from other artists.

My assets are fully clothed, everyday characters (doctors, warriors, workers). I only included a slide of the underlying body details to show professional buyers that the model features a complete, full-body mesh. These models are completely safe for work and are widely used in medical and educational fields. You can even see them being used in viral animations like Zack D. Films.

I need an explanation for why videos using these models are completely acceptable, yet the products themselves are banned. If we are forced to hide the body details, how can a customer verify product and topology quality before purchasing?

I have lost all my reviews, stats, and a massive chunk of my income overnight. Re-uploading everything is going to take forever. 3D characters are art and professional tools—they should not be restricted by a broken AI. We need a special category for full-body and anatomical assets so we can showcase our work safely.

I got a reply from cgtrader. ......

Hi,

Thanks for reaching out, and please accept our apologies for the disruption to your listings.

To keep CGTrader compliant with the requirements of the major platforms we rely on for discovery and advertising (Google and other search engines especially), listings are screened by an automated moderation system that scores images against NSFW content standards. Those external standards have tightened recently, and in some areas they are stricter than what other marketplaces enforce, which is why our own guidelines have had to move with them.

In this latest round of review, due to an error, the automated screening applied it far too broadly and, in many cases, incorrectly. It removed a large number of models that do not actually breach any of our guidelines. This was a fault in how the automated scan was scoped and run on our side, not a reflection of your work or your standing, and we're sorry for the worry and the lost visibility it caused.

Where things stand:

- We are reinstating all of the affected listings. This is already underway, and we expect the bulk to be restored by the weekend. The rollout takes time to process. You don't need to do anything for this to happen — please leave your listings as they are rather than re-uploading or attempting to edit them.
- Your reviews, ratings, and listing history are preserved. Nothing about your store's standing or stats has been reset by this.
- Once your models are restored, any that are genuinely considered NSFW (naked, explicit or sexually suggestive) under the tightened standards may be suspended again during a more careful, case-by-case review. If that happens and you believe a model was flagged in error, simply reach out and we'll review it individually.

If your listings are still missing after a day or two, reply to this message and we'll chase it down for you directly.

Again, we're sorry for the abrupt disruption. We know how much work goes into building a portfolio here, and we're working to get everything restored as quickly as we can.

Kindly,

This morning I am getting other of my models suspended, this Is CRAZY! I can't believe this Is happening. Those models are robots/machines...

They suspended majority of my models earlier now their automated system suspended my 3 models without any reason. I'm leaving this site soon. I'm done with this harassment.

I think its time to leave cgtrader and their ai. When handle models and knitting textures get removed as adult content then its just gonna get worse. I think I will stick with ArtStation.

Somewhat off topic, but has anyone else noticed that CGTrader now limits the number of times you can "like" another artist's models in a given period of time?

I wanted to show my support for the artists who posted their experiences in this thread by liking their models, but CGTrader quickly cut me off.

Please, CGTrader, I want to support them more.
- Charles Dickens (if he were an artist here)

I'm in the same boat as so many of you. A number of my models have been suspended in recent weeks due to "AI moderation."

It would be nice if CGTrader gave a specific reason instead of a generic list of possibilities to blindly throw a dart at. It would also be nice if they still allowed artists to access the moderated models from our end (even if they are suspended from view in the marketplace) to make changes that may appease the AI overlords.

But alas, CGTrader continues to launch flaming arrows in the night to burn the bridges with artists. And it feels like TurboCephalopod 2009 all over again.

I've been selling here for nearly ten years. I've spent a lot of time building my portfolio, uploading detailed images and product descriptions, and providing customer support. And I've focused on CGTrader as my primary marketplace during most of that time.

But now, I'm letting it wither. There's no sense in deleting my portfolio--it continues to draw at least some passive income. But I won't be uploading new models. And I won't be fighting lowered royalties or model suspensions. Instead, I will be actively looking for other marketplaces, including the possibility of setting one up on my existing personal website.

It's a shame to see the era of win-win-win relationships between CGTrader, artists, and customers come to an end. It was great while it lasted. But there's no sense in throwing good time/effort after bad business. Such is the world we live in. This isn't the first time, and it won't be the last. We can complain, or we can adapt.

It seems that CGTrader's vision for the future is a platform of AI-generated models regulated by AI moderators. Eventually, I presume, the customers will also be AI--buying assets for AI-led production houses to use in AI-led advertisements to sell AI-infused products on AI-infused websites.

First, they came for the artists...
Then, they came for the programmers...
When they finally came for John Conner, there was no one left to speak up.

I started on CGTrader back in 2020 as a very small creator. Just today, 9 of my models were suspended. Last week, another 5 were removed.

It feels like everything I spent years building is being dismantled.

I have never sold pornography. At most, some of my works depict sensual characters because they are based on mythological gods and goddesses that have traditionally been represented that way throughout history, art, and culture. I try to stay true to those representations.

People suggest simply adding clothing or armor, but in many cases that would completely contradict the character's identity and artistic representation. The frustrating part is that some of my suspended models were already fully clothed, which makes the criteria even harder to understand.

I have contacted support twice, and the response has essentially been the same each time: new rules, new standards, and compliance requirements related to Google and search engines.

Honestly, I find this extremely disappointing.

If the concern is visibility or content classification, why not place warnings, age restrictions, or content labels on these models? Why completely remove works that creators spent countless hours producing and that generated revenue not only for us, but for CGTrader as well?

The whole situation gives the impression that an automated system is reviewing the marketplace and removing content without properly considering artistic context.

As if the rise of AI-generated 3D content wasn't already making life harder for independent artists, now many of us are facing a wave of content removals that seems equally damaging.

I sincerely hope CGTrader reconsiders these decisions or at least provides clearer guidelines and a path for creators to adapt their work rather than permanently losing years of effort overnight.

I also hope more creators speak up and share their experiences, because this issue is clearly affecting a large portion of the community.

many images form many models are not loading at all...

i have very similar problems. I don't know why but some of my models got ''adult content'' that are compeltely mechanical. And other models were suspended for unknown reasons. Just suspended. Those models are very old. I wrote to cgrader support and i hope to get an answer soon!

My frog catching a fly sculpture has just been suspended. This is comedy. WTF. Some action has to be taken. Is anyone even working at CGTrader or is it all AI now???

Yeah. What is going on? I just had a skull bracelet suspended. And a neuron suspend a week ago. CGTrader has got to get a grip on this soon before everyone gives up on it.

Hi. What's happening to the site today? No matter what model I load today, Cgtrader suspends it due to adult content or scenes of violence. Or are pants adult content?

"I am in the exact same situation. They have deleted quite a few of my models, including some of my best-sellers. I’ve been selling on this platform for over 10 years; it was my main source of extra income. The truth is, things were already in a massive decline due to the new subscription model, which did nothing but destroy traditional sales in favor of $0.80 USD per product, making our work feel 'miserable.' This is not a dignified way to treat those of us who contributed to making this platform a reality.

An older person once told me, 'Don't trust sales websites on networks; sooner or later, they are susceptible to fraud.' We’ve already seen it with cryptocurrencies, etc., but I never thought the site I trusted the most would start to fail us like this, treating our work as an object of censorship and of little value—even though it has generated money for them. It’s like shooting themselves in the foot. They are completely discouraging and disincentivizing creators from continuing to upload high-quality 3D models to the platform.

I think it's time for all of us to look for a 'real job' or other options. This is in a downward spiral, and that is the sad reality."

Remember that AI suspends models, but 90% of the time they're reactivated after being assessed as Adult content. In some cases, the censorship is ridiculous because we're talking about artistic statues. They even put one on the face of a statue. Perhaps AI was implemented there too to reactivate censored content, I don't know, or perhaps they censor them manually because otherwise AI would suspend them again.

It was said in various communities that AI wouldn't be good for everything; this is an example.

Almost everything in my store got wiped out just this morning too. Because of the new "AI moderation" tool they just implemented.

I completely agree with you, comrade. I've also had many models suspended by Cgtrader in recent months. Models that for years were great sources of profit. Now I'm actively considering abandoning the platform. My new models since 2025 are no longer implemented on Cgtrader. We're treated like garbage.

I'm sorry but even RenderHub sells AI-generated content.... idem artstation for 2D collection or poster ( Includes output from Generative AI Programs )

And if we want to tell the whole truth, Artsation suspended my account with 400 posters for sale because one posted with the adult filter featured a naked breast... they even kept the accrued royalties because they hadn't reached the payment threshold that month...
When I asked for an explanation, they said they don't have time to evaluate all the suspensions generated by the system... I haven't posted anything else to sell there.

best regards.