Work-Safe Porn
Part of a series on Online Pornography. [View Related Entries]
This entry contains content that may be considered sensitive to some viewers.
About
Work-Safe Porn, also known as "SFW Porn", is a fad that involves taking pornographic media and painting over it with image- or video-editing software to make it appear as if the subjects are not engaged in sexual activity. (See also: Unncessary Censorship)
Origin
On September 9th, 2002, a round-up of work-safe porn images titled "Make Porn Work-Safe"[1] appeared in the "Comedy Goldmine" section on the website Something Awful.
The Something Awful Forums goons have been cooking up another batch of humorous humor, and this week's Goldmine is all about making porn into images that are socially acceptable and work-safe, should your boss peer over your shoulder at the exact moment you pull up your pin-up girl favorites.
Spread
The first YTMND titled "Skin Flute"[2] was created by DeitysWarrior on April 2nd, 2006. The fad popped back on the Something Awful forums on June 13th, 2006 in a thread titled "DPPH classic – make porn work safe".[3] On September 14th, 2007 it reached the Newgrounds forums in a thread titled "Work Safe Porn Thread".[4]
Several single topic websites have been created dedicated to work-safe porn images including Not NSFW[8], SFW-Porn[9] and Porn SFW.[10]
Viral Marketing
In June of 2008, the content filtering software company Porn Blocker started a viral marketing campaign for their "Ishield" anti-porn software, and used work-safe porn images in ads accompanied by the tagline "gives the internet back its innocence."
In September of 2008, the Italian fashion clothing company Diesel released a work-safe porn video, produced by the viral marketing production company The Viral Factory, to celebrate their 30th birthday . On September 25th, the video was mentioned in The Guardian[5], the French website 20 Minutes[6], and was featured on Something Awful.[7]
Notable Derivatives
Search
Search queries related to work-safe porn peaked in October of 2008, the month after the Diesel ad was released.
External References
[1] Something Awful – Make Porn Work-Safe
[2] YTMND – Skin Flute
[3] Something Awful – DPPH classic – make porn work safe
[4] Newgrounds (via Wayback Machine) – Work Safe Porn Thread
[5] The Guardian – Diesel unveils porn ad for 30th birthday
[6] 20 Minutes (via Wayback Machine) – La mode du porno safe for work
[7] Something Awful – Diesel SFW XXX Make Porn Work-Safe THE MOVIE!
[9] SFW-Porn – Safe For Work Porn
[10] PornSFW – Porn SFW – Safe for work porn pictures