For those new to the idea of Rule 34, it is an internet rule that states, “if it exists in real life, or can be imagined, then porn will exist of it.” Sounds like the perfect internet challenge with your mates trying to prove or disapprove the rule exists. A short reminder, though, that in the search for establishing the rule does exist, you may find your internet search algorithms significantly altered after.
I’m sure you could prove that Rule 34 exists at some stage. For example, maybe mouse elephant sex porn existed on the internet at some stage. However, finding footage that proves this did exist at some stage is significantly harder nowadays. You see a lot of SEO optimisation tags that will redirect and funnel you towards the more significant tube sites.
For example, I searched on ‘artificial plant porn’; yes, don’t judge me, but I was looking to see if anyone had created some porn of a couple of artificial plants getting it on. What did happen was a search result list filled with SEO optimisation tags saying ‘artificial plant porn.’ Still, when I clicked on the links, I was redirected to these larger-scale tube sites. Clicking further on those links opened up generic porn videos, and none of them had an artificial plant. How rude!
Where did Rule 34 come from?
Rule 34 was first coined in 2005. It is vital to understand what that period was like regarding the internet and, ultimately, the porn industry. During that period, internet speeds were becoming faster, and there were more home computers. What this meant for the porn industry was a massive shift away from accessibility via magazines and VHS videos to the ability to view and consume porn online and from within the home. This same technology also created the space for single-style producers to develop and disseminate more of the eclectic porn that ultimately would prove rule 34 existed.
What happened to Rule 34?
Towards the late 2000s, the porn industry decided to move towards the model of tube sites, think RedTube, Pornhub, etc. The idea is to provide a larger category of porn within one space for viewers. Unfortunately, with the creation of these tube sites, anyone could upload material onto them, including pirated material. The result was that porn created by those single-style producers, the more eclectic porn produced and monetised by these producers, was now being pirated and uploaded onto these tube sites for free. This systematically wiped out these single producers from a feasibility perspective. Hence, the production of porn that ultimately could prove Rule 34 existed stopped being produced.
Most people are unaware that 8 out of the 10 most popular tube sites are owned by an Information Technology company called MindGeek. Their sheer volume of porn allows them to control what porn is positioned as popular, what porn gets promoted, and ultimately what porn gets buried. They do this by fostering specific tags linked to categories of porn. These tags serve to promote porn but also help to suppress porn.
The future of Rule 34
Does Rule 34 exist? I think the existence of this Rule was easier to prove back when it was coined; however, the landscape of porn has significantly changed since then.
