Question about allowing nudes on a dating site

I started a dating site and made a policy that a member's main photo can't be a nude photo.

So if they want to submit a nude photo they have to put it in their private gallery. I do this because I dont want the main public area to be just a bunch of dicks and asses.

However I notice that when someone DOES put a nude photo up (before I have the chance to see it and police it) that they get messages on it.

So Im wondering if I should allow nudes up front. Am I being a killjoy by saying non nudes only? Or am I being smart by trying to have it a little cleaner in the public areas?

Are you trying to make a "classy" dating (read hookup) site? I mean...if you are catering to gay men then you have to understand that it IS all about dick and ass...

Thanks for the response.
Hmm I don't mind it R rated in the front and X rated in the private area.
I just dont want the nudes in the front. But I dont know if that's a dumb policy to have for business.

I've gotten a couple of compliments from some members on not allowing nudes as the main photo. But I dont know if that makes it boring.

I've seen dating sites have G rated profile pics available to all and for a minimal membership fee you see the Xrated pics of members, or you have to sign up for free to see the xrated pics.

As far as xrated pics on a Gay dating site it would seem detrimental to not have them in one form or another.

Frankly, I've always thought that dating sites (or, for that matter, social networks) that allow nudes as main pics are simply tacky. For example, Gaywatch calls itself "the gay myspace" but one look at it and it's just disgusting... half of the main pics are erect penises and other stuff that makes it look like it's nothing more than a hookup site (which is probably true.)

If you're trying to maintain a semblence of class, I'd vote for maintaining the "no nudes as main pic" idea.

The other issue is... when 2257A/4472 regs are finally published, you'll probably have to eliminate explicit pics (meaning, no sex, no erections) unless you want to mess with 2257 docs... which arguably require actual physical inspection of the ID rather than a photocopy... for every member with an explicit pic.

thats a good idea. I can keep it clean in the front and if people want to see the private pics they have to upgrade their membership.
cool thanks

My first reaction is that this question should actually have been one of your first statements in your business plan for the site.

I think there's no question that a main photo should be clothed or cropped. For whatever reason - fed regulations or tastefulness.

On the inside you might was to distinguish between soft and erect explicit photos.

MySpace is boring without frontal nudes. ModelMayhem is full of frontal nudes, other than the main photo.

If you censor explicit, or put a fee on it, you probably are going to go down the drain. Which then takes you back to your business plan: "Why?" did you start the dating site?

Advertising supported? Click thru's to sponsor programs which you are an affiliate of? Member fees? Tangible sales of products?

If you're there to make money off of click thru's or other revenue, I'd say let the nude photos roll and make the site as fun as possible.

What's your defined competition? What do they do that you want to do, and don't want to do?

it's a hookup site and you want to attract members. what really attracts horny men to hookup sites and tempts them to join is dick, pure and simple. just like paysites that couldn't get surfers to their join pages when they didn't show dick, you may see a lot less members joining without it.

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Originally Posted by basschick

it's a hookup site and you want to attract members. what really attracts horny men to hookup sites and tempts them to join is dick, pure and simple. just like paysites that couldn't get surfers to their join pages when they didn't show dick, you may see a lot less members joining without it.

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EXACTLY!

My main pic on the hookup sites that i am a member of is X rated.

I dunno, maybe I'm wired differently or from a different generation or something but my reaction to seeing dick pics all over a dating site is simply "Yuk."

Not saying it's bad or anything, just for some reason, I'm much more interested in learning about the person than seeing a picture of their dick... Lord knows I see enough of them every day already :)

But I wouldn't be a bit surprised to know that what Patti and Lloyd and Nick have said is right on the money. Just have a contingency plan for 4472 in place; the project we're developing now will have a "switch" that we can flip at any time which will automatically replace all the explicit images on a page with nonexplicit ones. Hopefully we'll never have to use it, but one can't be too careful in this day and age.

chip, i think the term "dating site" is what's throwing you. the guys on most personals sites most aren't looking for dates, love or relationships - they're looking for people to have sex with. and i don't think age has much to do with it since, during my searches for models, i've seen guys in their 60's on those sites looking for new guys to top or bottom for.

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Originally Posted by basschick

chip, i think the term "dating site" is what's throwing you. the guys on most personals sites most aren't looking for dates, love or relationships - they're looking for people to have sex with. and i don't think age has much to do with it since, during my searches for models, i've seen guys in their 60's on those sites looking for new guys to top or bottom for.

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That pretty much sums it up. X-rated pics get more click to the profile. If I show my cock pic on Manhunt, I will get bombarded with emails.

That's sad, but I guess it's true.

An example is Craigslist. The "M4M" section is overrun with ads like "I'm available from 4 to 5pm, just come into my house, the door is open, and fuck me in the ass without saying anything." Any legitimate M4M ad that isn't for instant sex doesn't stand a chance.

So the "Platonic only" which is *supposed* to mean "non-sexual" M4M section has instead become the "I want a genuine relationship" section.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by gaybucks_chip

Frankly, I've always thought that dating sites (or, for that matter, social networks) that allow nudes as main pics are simply tacky.

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I kinda LIKE tacky~~