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Sunday, November 22, 
12:19 am

MocoSpace: Adult content for anyone at least 14 years of age

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mocospace.jpgEarlier this week, I wrote a short post about MocoSpace, yet another social networking site that is trying -- and having some success -- entering the space dominated by the likes of MySpace and Facebook. On Monday MocoSpace announced it raised $4 million in its second round of venture funding, following a $3 million Series A round over the summer.

I had a brief conversation with the company's co-founder and CEO Justin Siegel, who made the compelling argument that there is still a need for a social networking site aimed at mobile users: those people who don't have broadband connections at home, or don't have a desk job that allows them to surf the Web half the day, but do have a mobile phone.

As is often the case in tight news cycles, I didn't have time to do more than scratch the surface of this company before reporting their funding announcement. Wednesday I returned to take a closer look, but I didn't have to look very closely at all to see that a huge portion of the content on MocoSpace is what I could only describe as porn. I'm not talking about scantily clad teenage girls who may be showing a little more cleavage than their parents would like; I'm talking about stuff that's far more raunchy, complete with labels like "Hot Asian Porn Star."

The page listing the site's most popular videos was covered with this kind of content, and while other sections of the site, such as the blogs section, appeared to have a wider variety of content, including one blog focused on wrestling, I also saw more of the raunch from people advertising their personal blogs as the site for "dirty pix" and the like.

This is not meant to be naive or judgmental: It's no secret, after all, that some of the most established content sites on the Internet today, such as Yahoo Inc. [YHOO], got their start by serving up a big plate of adult content. More recently, I wrote about Zivity.com, a startup that is very up-front about building a business plan around the strong demand online for sexy photos. Zivity, which bills itself as a cross between MySpace, Playboy and "American Idol," also wins points for attempting to take some of the exploitation out of the porn industry by letting models post their own photos and collect revenues based on their popularity.

While Facebook is fast being taken over by stodgy middle-aged types more interested in swapping photos of their kids than of their cleavage, there's a great deal of racy content on MySpace. Still, on MySpace there is more of a mix: The raunchy stuff does not jump out at you as soon as you log on, like it does on MocoSpace.  

Clearly, a lot of investors are still open to online business models based on adult content, but MocoSpace's own description as a "place to find friends, have fun and stay connected on your mobile phone" seems like a case of blatant misrepresentation. Trying hard to give the company the benefit of the doubt, I attempted to register as a 17-year-old, assuming that -- as much of a joke as these virtual carders are -- MocoSpace would at least pay lip service to keeping kids out.

Well, it turns out you don't have to register at all to watch many of the porn videos, and those who do bother to register don't have to claim to be 18 -- but only 14 years old. As of this writing, I'm still waiting for the company to comment on the nature of its content. - Andrea Orr

See Jan. 28 post from Tech Confidential
See September 2007 post from Tech Confidential

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Comments

From: nikkiruiz,

please unblock mocospace


From: Christine A.,

As an adult member of Mocospace who has been there for 8 months. I have to disagree with your "porn" assesment of the site. There are racey photo's on many personal profiles but I have never seen the blatant porn that you describe in your article. I have seen members looking to exchange codes for Radar in the chat rooms but as far as the porn goes, I feel you have totally over exagerated. There are far more people on there doing exactly what they say its for. Making friends.


From: ash[uh]ley,

unblock mocospace now!


From: hotlegs21,

why block mocospace we don't mess with ur personal life!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! UNBLOCK MOCOSPACE NOW


From: Lillian F,

i agree with Christine, ive been a member of mocospace for almost 3 years now, and ive never seen blatant porn either, theres been times when the photo filter wouldnt even ALLOW pictures of people flipping the middle finger.
though, yes there are some racy pictures, but none that could be more classified as porn than some of the conversations that happen within the chatrooms


From: purplechocolate,

yall need to quit it cause mocospace is like myspace now and more people are loging in to this web page and they think its bomb so un block it and let us do us its some freaks out there please unblock it thank you your one n only fav purple


From: keke,

please unblockmocospace now


From: tami,

why do they block mocospace huh!!!


From: gemma,

hey x

Posted on: May 7, 2008 7:56 AM


From: kaylee,

can i say i have been a user of mocospace for 5 years now and you only getporn if you look for it yes manyof the users do have some quite revealing pics but that has no reflection on the site in general and yes you can sign up at14 years old butyou cannot gain access to the adult based chat rooms or the romance rooms and you can'not enter a 'moco relationship' with someone older then you so nexttime before you go reviewing sites make sure you do it right


From: yo mmommoomy,

who gives a fxck.
booger space is boring anyways,
it's just for fat horny people that cant get laid.


true,

peace.


From: your mom,

unblock mocospac3...there is no porn u horndog u were just looking at the pix dat r reaviling!!


From: YOURMOM ,

UNBLOCK MOCOSPACE U HORNDOG!


From: isab311a,

WTF wuts the problem i was having a good time y u blocked it/................


From: sindy9d,

hiya how ru every1


From: homie2,

tyutyutyu t7y u


From: carmale,

iv been a member for a year iv never seen any porn eather let us have fun and do our thang


From: gothic_april-22,

unblock moco it rox n i have so many m8 but cant use it in ict


From: gothic_april-22,

add me ..... gothic_april-22


From: carol ann,

mocospace is porn! i agree. its for cheaters and men obsessed with underage little girls!


From: gothic_april-22,

hey people ... if u love moco contact me on it gothic_april-22 .... im a good person who listens to everyones veiw cyA YA THERE PEOPL BYEXX


From: APRIL,

hey people ... if u love moco contact me on it gothic_april-22 .... im a good person who listens to everyones veiw cyA YA THERE PEOPL BYEXX


From: ashley,

hey hope to see this page again and put on my mocospace


From: angela,

when will mocospace be back?


From: CUT!i3,

.NIGGAZ SAY WAT YA UNBLOCK MOCO DATS NOT EVEN KOO DEREZ PORN BUT FUCK DAT WHO KAREZ UR DA HORNY ONE LOOKIN AT DAT SHIT SO YOOH SHOULDNT BE SAYIN SHIT TO NOTIN:.


From: lil.diamond,

I've been a regular user of Mocospace for over two years and find the site to be very well run and monitored closely. "IF" at all any "Close to the knuckle" pictures have been allowed due to the Photo filter failing to detect them (which is very rarely)the pictures are soon spotted by either the Moco team or other users and are deleted without delay. Mocospace does NOT condone Porn of any nature.


From: keyshawna,

hi


From: paris,

dhhhcjbqd


From: Lola,

Y do u do this. There is absolutley NONE of that @*€$ ur talkin about. Maybe u get excited easily when u see a girl wear a mini skirt or something. I recommend u either need 2 get layed OR seek professional help


From: The Doctor,

God! The person that wrote this must be blind. Everyone knows that mocospace does have little adult-content, but every site does. Just look at myspace, it has the dating advertisement with a sexy girl on a computer all the time. The person who wrote this article was obviously looking for adult-content, and they found it. I find this article not only bias, but I find it a slap in the face to the mobile community.


From: chanelle ,

hi my name chanelle i am a student at mainland high school in daytona beach fl


From: tabatha,

I agree with this article very much. Im not gonna say its porn but its damn close to masturbation techniques.LOL Men half naked or woman wit the pus shots in there G strings from the back.I am a mocospace user and when I wanna meet someone close or meet and greet moco is the place. I also have pics that I personally would never ever use on my myspace. On moco I can say and show almost what ever I want because like most everyone else Its all about exchanging photos and getting the hookup. My myspace is for friends and family. My moco is for hookups and hotties. LOL Comon people be real. Ive exchange more numbers with people on moco then I ever have on myspace.


From: *"Da fly gurl"*,

wat the hell i dnt understand y u blocked mocospace.myspace is wayyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy worst moco space is just there so "WE" can have alia fun yea pple show "ALIL" skin buts itz uus for the fun of it and if ur sexy of course ur guna wana show it.


From: naturly-sexy,

can sum ! unblock mocospace


From: brandi,

what is mocoscape anyway ?????????? why do you want to keep kids out is it bad or something ???????????????


From: brandi,

ok i figures out what mocospace is but myspace is way worse i think we shoul all just FUCKEN for get about it !!!!!!!!!!!!!! oh well if its bad it does not matter there are way worst sites than this so just FUCKEN for get about it


From: fuck you,


FUCK THIS SHIT THIS IS STUPID SO FUCK OFF !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


From: Unknown,

Yes, there are some underage girls there showing a little too much, I have seen it when browsing members, so what is moco doing about this? they should not allow underage girls to post theirself topless or may be naked


From: m4r142,

y did yall block moco space itz fun yall should try it ment that f*** up yall toke awey my fun


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