Voyeurweb

Voyeurweb is a free photo sharing website with a focus on nudity and some softcore amateur pornography. Started in August 1997, it has since become a very popular amateur pornographic website. Since July 1999 it is among the 1000 most visited websites worldwide according to Alexa. [cite web | url = http://www.alexa.com/data/details/traffic_details/voyeurweb.com?site0=voyeurweb.com&y=t&z=3&h=300&w=610&range=max&size=Medium | publisher = Alexa | work = Ranking and related information | title = voyeurweb..com ]

Concept

Voyeurweb is a photo sharing site designed to allow people to upload nude and pornographic photos and videos onto the site, which are published on daily lists after review. Uploaded pictures are usually available on the site after a few days. The content includes different sections. Awards are given to best voted photo submissions for each section on a monthly base.

The concept is similar to web 2.0 or porn 2.0, though uploaded content is moderated before it is displayed. The site differs from many other pornographic websites in that it is free and only shows ad for its own hardcore member sites. Voyeurweb also operates a forum, a Wiki dedicated to sexology and features most of it photos in an additional iPhone-friendly interface.

VoyeurWeb is softcore. One of its functions is to draw participants to its sister site RedClouds, which is hardcore and non-free.

Ownership

Voyeurweb.com is currently owned by a shell corporation registered in the jurisdiction of Panama. It has operated under the guise of operating in Germany (true); Panama (false); The Turk and Caicos Islands (false); Toronto, Canada (partially true); and the Amsterdam, Netherlands (partially true). While operating with shell operations may indicate a less than reputable company, these actions have been primarily to avoid legal problems, including the Child Protection and Obscenity Enforcement Act. Voyeurweb's internal rules forbid underage and/or underage appearing models. The owners actually live in Munich, Germany; and Tampa, Florida, but residences and offices are moved frequently to avoid legal problems.Fact|date=April 2008

The domain name was registered by a company in July 1997. The site is run from leased cage space with Teleglobe in Canada and Europe.

VoyeurWeb is the softcore version of the Voyeurweb sites. RedClouds is its hardcore membership site. Homeclips is its video membership site, and Funbags its archive site.

Voyeurweb once had Watchcams, which was the "original" cam house, and was the forerunner to Voyeurdorm by a matter of weeks.

Voyeurweb, Watchcams and similar sites led to other ventures, such as Girls Gone Wild (an unrelated company).

Criticism and praise

Voyeurweb has been pioneering user-generated content at a time when the term Web 2.0 was unknown. [ [http://archive.salon.com/tech/feature/2000/10/26/voyeurweb/index1.html] , "Salon.com", January 7, 2000] The voyeur related photo sections have been under heavy criticism [ [http://service.spiegel.de/digas/find?DID=29054298] , "Spiegel", November 11, 2003] until photos displaying invasion of privacy were allegedly no longer shown. However, photos such as those of topless sunbathers on beaches are still displayed without consent from the women being photographed.

While Porn 2.0 websites like Voyeurweb, PornoTube and YouPorn have garnered tremendous popularity and interest since their inception, they are not without their critics. Some concern has been raised about the copyright, privacy and legal ramifications of large quantities of free, user-generated, pornographic content on the internet.

Concerns have also surfaced over the inability to verify the age of the persons depicted in the photos and the lack of verification that models have consented to the photos being displayed, especially where the candid nature of the shot is its main appeal. As with any Web 2.0-type system, there is also the possibility of copyrighted photos being uploaded to the site but viewers are asked to be alert to this and report infringements.

The site has spawned imitators such as Private Voyeur and Watchers Web.

References

External links

* [http://www.voyeurweb.com Voyeurweb.com] - official site