# Rule 34

> Mediated Wiki article. Canonical URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Rule_34
> Markdown URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Rule_34.md
> Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rule_34
> Source revision: 1356506157
> License: Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/)

For other uses, see [Rule 34 (disambiguation)](/source/Rule_34_(disambiguation)).

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

## History

The phrase *Rule 34* was coined in an August 13, 2003 [webcomic](/source/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](/source/Calvin_and_Hobbes)* parody porn.[1][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](/source/4chan), includes Rule 34 within a list of similar [tongue-in-cheek](/source/Tongue-in-cheek) maxims, such as [Rule 63](/source/Rule_63).[4]

In 2008, users on 4chan posted numerous sexually explicit parodies and cartoons illustrating Rule 34; in 4chan [slang](/source/Slang), pornography may be referred to as "rule 34" or "[pr0nz](/source/Pr0nz)".[5] *The Dictionary of Modern Proverbs* claims that Rule 34 "began appearing on Internet postings in 2008".[6]

As Rule 34 continued spreading throughout the Internet, some traditional media began reporting on it. A 2009 *[Daily Telegraph](/source/Daily_Telegraph)* article listed Rule 34 as the third of the "Top 10" Internet rules and laws.[7] A 2013 [CNN](/source/CNN) story said Rule 34 was "likely the most famous" Internet rule that has become part of mainstream culture.[4]

[Fan fiction](/source/Fan_fiction) has parodied events such as the [2016 United States presidential election](/source/2016_United_States_presidential_election),[8] the [2021 Suez Canal obstruction](/source/2021_Suez_Canal_obstruction),[9] and [Brexit](/source/Brexit).[10]

## Analysis

According to researchers [Ogi Ogas](/source/Ogi_Ogas) and Sai Gaddam, the maxim resonated with so many people because of its apparent truth to anyone who has browsed the Internet.[2] Ogas said that following the 2009–2010 study, the consolidation of the porn industry onto large market share [video aggregators](/source/Video_aggregator) 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](/source/Copy_protection) measures, bringing into doubt the ability of the rule being able to keep up with the market.[1]

[Cory Doctorow](/source/Cory_Doctorow) concludes, "Rule 34 can be thought of as a kind of indictment of the [Web](/source/World_Wide_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."[11]

John Paul Stadler concluded that Rule 34 reflects the codification of [paraphilias](/source/Paraphilia) into social identity structures.[12]

## Variations

The original rule was rephrased and reiterated as it went [viral](/source/Viral_phenomenon) on the Web. Some common permutations omit the original "No exceptions."

- "Rule 34: There is porn of it."[6]
- "Rule 34: If it exists, there is porn of it."[4]
- "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."[2]
- "Rule 34(r): If it exists, there is a [subreddit](/source/Subreddit) devoted to it."[2]

## Corollaries

- "Rule 35: If there is no porn, it will be made."[13]
- "Rule 36: There will always be more fucked up shit than what you just saw."[13]
- "[Rule 63](/source/Rule_63): For every given male [character](/source/Character_(arts)), there is a female version of that character and vice versa."[14]

## See also

- [*Behind Closed Doors* (book)](/source/Behind_Closed_Doors_(book)) – Unreleased pornographic *[SpongeBob SquarePants](/source/SpongeBob_SquarePants)* book
- [*Overwatch* and pornography](/source/Overwatch_and_pornography) – A notable case of pornography inspired by the video game *[Overwatch](/source/Overwatch_(2016_video_game))*
- [*Pokémon* and pornography](/source/Pok%C3%A9mon_and_pornography) – Another notable case of pornography inspired by the *[Pokémon](/source/Pok%C3%A9mon)* media franchise
- *[Rule 34](/source/Rule_34_(novel))* – A novel by [Charles Stross](/source/Charles_Stross) referencing this rule
- *[Rule 34](/source/Rule_34_(film))* – A film by Julia Murat referencing this rule

## References

1. Dewey, Caitlin (April 6, 2016). ["Is Rule 34 actually true?: An investigation into the Internet's most risqué law"](https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/the-intersect/wp/2016/04/06/is-rule-34-actually-true-an-investigation-into-the-internets-most-risque-law/). *[The Washington Post](/source/The_Washington_Post)*. Washington, D.C.: [Nash Holdings](/source/Nash_Holdings). [Archived](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/) May 29, 2020 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved May 27, 2018.

1. Ogas, Ogi & Gaddam, Sai (2011). [*A Billion Wicked Thoughts: What the Internet Tells Us About Sexual Relationships*](https://books.google.com/books?id=jwU8_m8y5X0C). New York City: [Penguin Books](/source/Penguin_Books). ISBN 9781101514986. [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20230322060713/https://books.google.com/books?id=jwU8_m8y5X0C) March 22, 2023 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved December 22, 2015.

1. Ogas, Ogi (2013). ["A billion wicked thoughts: What the internet reveals about sexual desire"](http://dx.doi.org/10.1037/e638152013-018). *PsycEXTRA Dataset*. [doi:10.1037/e638152013-018](https://doi.org/10.1037/e638152013-018). [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20230322060724/https://psycnet.apa.org/buy/PE) March 22, 2023 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved 2020-12-26.

1. Leopold, Todd (2013-02-15). ["Meet the Rules of the Internet"](https://www.cnn.com/2013/02/15/tech/internet-rules/index.html). *[CNN](/source/CNN)*. [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20210608083436/https://www.cnn.com/2013/02/15/tech/internet-rules/index.html) June 8, 2021 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved 2022-08-07.

1. Olson, Parmy (2012-06-05). [*We Are Anonymous: Inside the Hacker World of LulzSec, Anonymous, and the Global Cyber Insurgency*](https://books.google.com/books?id=ncGVPtoZPHcC). [Little, Brown](/source/Little,_Brown). ISBN 978-0-316-21353-0. [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20230322060715/https://books.google.com/books?id=ncGVPtoZPHcC) March 22, 2023 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved December 22, 2015.

1. Doyle, Charles Clay; Mieder, Wolfgang; Shapiro, Fred Richard (2017-12-31). [*The Dictionary of Modern Proverbs*](https://www.degruyter.com/document/doi/10.12987/9780300183351/html). Yale University Press. [doi:10.12987/9780300183351](https://doi.org/10.12987/9780300183351). ISBN 978-0-300-18335-1. [JSTOR j.ctt1nq6jk](https://www.jstor.org/stable/j.ctt1nq6jk). [OCLC 794004254](https://www.worldcat.org/oclc/794004254)

1. Chivers, Tom (23 October 2009). ["Internet rules and laws: the top 10, from Godwin to Poe"](https://www.telegraph.co.uk/technology/news/6408927/Internet-rules-and-laws-the-top-10-from-Godwin-to-Poe.html). *[telegraph.co.uk](/source/Telegraph.co.uk)*. [Archived](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) May 19, 2017 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved 2022-08-07.

1. Lavin, Talia (July 21, 2016), ["The Political Erotica of 2016"](https://www.newyorker.com/books/page-turner/the-political-erotica-of-2016), *[The New Yorker](/source/The_New_Yorker)*, [archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20211203053514/https://www.newyorker.com/books/page-turner/the-political-erotica-of-2016) December 3, 2021 at the Wayback Machine, retrieved 2021-01-18

1. Ball, Siobhan (March 29, 2021), ["Yes, there's already erotic fanfic about the ship that got stuck in the Suez Canal: Rule 34 is alive and well"](https://www.dailydot.com/unclick/suez-canal-ship-ever-given-fanfic/), *[The Daily Dot](/source/The_Daily_Dot)*, [archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20220118183850/https://www.dailydot.com/unclick/suez-canal-ship-ever-given-fanfic/) January 18, 2022 at the Wayback Machine, retrieved 2021-01-18

1. Hay, Mark (June 27, 2016), ["Oh, Good, Now There Is Brexit Erotica"](https://www.vice.com/en/article/brexit-erotica-political-smut-pounded-by-the-pound-vgtrn/), *[Vice](/source/Vice_(magazine))*, [archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20220118182835/https://www.vice.com/en/article/vdqm4b/brexit-erotica-political-smut-pounded-by-the-pound-vgtrn) January 18, 2022 at the Wayback Machine, retrieved 2021-01-18

1. Cory Doctorow (October 1, 2011). [*Context*](https://archive.org/details/context0000doct). Tachyon Publications. pp. [70](https://archive.org/details/context0000doct/page/70)–. ISBN 978-1-61696-078-0.

1. Stadler, John Paul (2018-10-12). ["The Queer Heart of Porn Studies"](https://muse.jhu.edu/article/705280). *Journal of Cinema and Media Studies*. **58** (1): 174. [doi:10.1353/cj.2018.0079](https://doi.org/10.1353/cj.2018.0079). [ISSN 2578-4919](https://www.worldcat.org/issn/2578-4919). [S2CID 194935601](https://api.semanticscholar.org/CorpusID:194935601). [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20220621013329/https://muse.jhu.edu/article/705280) June 21, 2022 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved February 11, 2021.

1. Paasonen, Susanna (2011). [*Carnal Resonance: Affect and Online Pornography*](https://books.google.com/books?id=2wqbC17l5iUC&pg=PA1). [MIT Press](/source/MIT_Press). p. 1. ISBN 978-0-262-01631-5. [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20230322060715/https://books.google.com/books?id=2wqbC17l5iUC&pg=PA1) March 22, 2023 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved December 27, 2020.

1. ["Rule 63 Meaning & Origin | Slang by Dictionary.com"](https://www.dictionary.com/e/slang/rule-63/). *Dictionary.com*. [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20220506001950/https://www.dictionary.com/e/slang/rule-63/) May 6, 2022 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved 2022-05-06.

---
Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Rule 34](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rule_34) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rule_34?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.