Rule 34 Explained

Rule 34 is an Internet meme which claims that Internet pornography exists concerning every possible topic. The concept is commonly depicted as fan art of normally non-erotic subjects engaging in sexual activity.^[1] It can also include writings, animations, images, GIFs and any other form of media to which the internet provides opportunities for proliferation and redistribution.

History

The phrase Rule 34 was coined from an August 13, 2003, webcomic captioned, "Rule #34 There is porn of it. No exceptions." The comic was drawn by TangoStari (Peter Morley-Souter) to depict his shock at seeing Calvin and Hobbes parody porn.^[2] Although the comic faded into obscurity, the caption instantly became popular on the Internet. Since then, the phrase has been adapted into different syntactic versions and has even been used as a verb.^[3] A list of "rules of the Internet", created on the website 4chan, includes Rule 34 within a list of similar tongue-in-cheek maxims, such as Rule 63.

In 2008, users on 4chan posted numerous sexually explicit parodies and cartoons illustrating Rule 34; in 4chan slang, pornography may be referred to as "rule 34" or "pr0nz".^[4] The Dictionary of Modern Proverbs claims that Rule 34 "began appearing on Internet postings in 2008".^[5]

As Rule 34 continued spreading throughout the Internet, some traditional media began reporting on it. A 2009 Daily Telegraph article listed Rule 34 as the third of the "Top 10" Internet rules and laws.^[6] A 2013 CNN story said Rule 34 was "likely the most famous" Internet rule that has become part of mainstream culture.^[7] On November 14, 2018, a Twitch streamer nicknamed "Drypiss" celebrated his 18th birthday by posting a video to Twitter in which he looked up Rule 34 pictures; afterwards, the video and its responses were covered by The Daily Dot.^[8]

Fan fiction has parodied events such as the 2016 United States presidential election, the 2021 Suez Canal obstruction, and Brexit.

Analysis

According to researchers Ogi Ogas and Sai Gaddam, the maxim resonated with so many people because of its apparent truth to anyone who has browsed the Internet. Ogas said that following the 2009–2010 study, the consolidation of the porn industry onto large market share video aggregators has reduced the visibility of the niche market videos. The sites favor mainstream content directly by steering users towards it and indirectly by disadvantaging small producers who cannot afford strong anti-piracy measures, bringing into doubt the ability of the rule being able to keep up with market.

Cory Doctorow concludes, "Rule 34 can be thought of as a kind of indictment of the Web as a cesspit of freaks, geeks, and weirdos, but seen through the lens of cosmopolitanism, bespeaks a certain sophistication—a gourmet approach to life."^[9]

John Paul Stadler concluded that Rule 34 reflects the codification of paraphilias into social identity structures.^[10]

Variations

The original rule was rephrased and reiterated as it went viral on the Web. Some common permutations omit the original "No exceptions."

• "Rule 34: There is porn of it."
• "Rule 34: If it exists, there is porn of it."^[7]
• "Rule 34: If it exists, or can be imagined, there is Internet porn of it."^[1]
• "Rule 34: If you can imagine it, it exists as Internet porn."
• “Rule 34(r): If it exists, there is a subreddit devoted to it.”

Corollaries

• "Rule 35: If there is no porn, it will be made."^[11]
• "Rule 36: There will always be more fucked up shit than what you just saw."
• "Rule 63: For every given male character, there is a female version of that character and vice versa."^[12]

See also

• • Clop – A slang term for pornography based on the animated children's television series
• List of Internet phenomena
  • Overwatch and pornography – A notable case of pornography inspired by the video game Overwatch
• Pokémon and pornography – Another notable case of pornography inspired by the Pokémon media franchise
  • Rule 34 – A novel by Charles Stross referencing this rule
• Rule 34 – A film by Julia Murat referencing this rule
• Rule 63 – Another internet meme that claims every character has a gender flipped version
• Yiff – Slang term used in the furry fandom

Notes and References

1. News: Dewey . Caitlin . April 6, 2016 . Is Rule 34 actually true?: An investigation into the Internet's most risqué law . . . Washington, D.C. . May 27, 2018 . May 29, 2020 . https://web.archive.org/web/20200529095553/https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/the-intersect/wp/2016/04/06/is-rule-34-actually-true-an-investigation-into-the-internets-most-risque-law/ . live .
2. Book: Ogas . Ogi . A Billion Wicked Thoughts: What the Internet Tells Us About Sexual Relationships . Gaddam . Sai . 2011 . . 9781101514986 . New York City . none . Ogi Ogas . December 22, 2015 . March 22, 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230322060713/https://books.google.com/books?id=jwU8_m8y5X0C . live .
3. Ogas . Ogi . 2013 . A billion wicked thoughts: What the internet reveals about sexual desire . 10.1037/e638152013-018 . 2020-12-26 . PsycEXTRA Dataset . March 22, 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230322060724/https://psycnet.apa.org/buy/PE . live .
4. Book: Olson, Parmy . We Are Anonymous: Inside the Hacker World of LulzSec, Anonymous, and the Global Cyber Insurgency . 2012-06-05 . . 978-0-316-21353-0 . en . December 22, 2015 . March 22, 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230322060715/https://books.google.com/books?id=ncGVPtoZPHcC . live .
5. Book: Doyle . Charles Clay . The Dictionary of Modern Proverbs . Mieder . Wolfgang . Shapiro . Fred Richard . 2017-12-31 . Yale University Press . 978-0-300-18335-1 . 10.12987/9780300183351 . j.ctt1nq6jk . 794004254 . Wolfgang Mieder . Fred R. Shapiro .
6. Web site: Chivers . Tom . 23 October 2009 . Internet rules and laws: the top 10, from Godwin to Poe . subscription . 2022-08-07 . . May 19, 2017 . https://web.archive.org/web/20170519063836/https://www.telegraph.co.uk/technology/news/6408927/Internet-rules-and-laws-the-top-10-from-Godwin-to-Poe.html . live .
7. Web site: Leopold . Todd . 2013-02-15 . Meet the Rules of the Internet . 2022-08-07 . . en . June 8, 2021 . https://web.archive.org/web/20210608083436/https://www.cnn.com/2013/02/15/tech/internet-rules/index.html . live .
8. Web site: Valens . Ana . November 9, 2019 . 18-Year-Old Twitch Streamer Celebrates Finally Looking At Internet Porn . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20191109105443/https://www.dailydot.com/unclick/streamer-porn-twitter-viral/ . November 9, 2019 . November 18, 2019 . The Daily Dot.
9. Book: Cory Doctorow. Context. registration . October 1, 2011. Tachyon Publications. 978-1-61696-078-0. 70–.
10. Stadler. John Paul. 2018-10-12. The Queer Heart of Porn Studies. Journal of Cinema and Media Studies. en. 58. 1. 174. 10.1353/cj.2018.0079. 194935601. 2578-4919. February 11, 2021. June 21, 2022. https://web.archive.org/web/20220621013329/https://muse.jhu.edu/article/705280. live.
11. Book: Paasonen, Susanna. Susanna Paasonen. Carnal Resonance: Affect and Online Pornography. 2011. MIT Press. 978-0-262-01631-5. 1. December 27, 2020. March 22, 2023. https://web.archive.org/web/20230322060715/https://books.google.com/books?id=2wqbC17l5iUC&pg=PA1. live.
12. Web site: Rule 63 Meaning & Origin Slang by Dictionary.com . 2022-05-06 . Dictionary.com . en-US . May 6, 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220506001950/https://www.dictionary.com/e/slang/rule-63/ . live .