BREAKING: Twitter business plan discovered but it’s NSFW
Well okay maybe it isn’t a business plan but I could see it getting real popular with a certain segment of people on Twitter. The problem is how much will it piss people off. What I am referring to is the graphic at the top of the page which happens to be the Twitter avatar for Rob Corddry who some will recognize – maybe – from the Daily Show.
I found out about this from my friend Paul O’Flaherty when he IM’d me to get my take on this ‘naked’ avatar. My first reaction when he asked was pretty well that it’s a stupid idea and almost guaranteed to get one blocked as a porn spammer or something. That’s when Paul shot me a link to his post about this with the actual avatar being used. This was when he also let me know that Rob Corddry is also one of Twitter’s Suggested Users List – or whatever they’re calling it – so in effect anyone coming on to Twitter is going to see that avatar.
Paul’s question was whether or not I thought Twitter was condoning this type of avatar or as he asked in his post
Now, I’ve got no problem with Rob Corddry flashing his arse on Twitter, if I don’t want to see it I just won’t follow him, but I have to wonder if this is the kind of message Twitter really wants to be sending out – that “nude avatars are okay”.
We’ve seen a massive influx of porn spam on the service and god only knows the numbers of “horny kitties” I’ve had following me lately and if Twitter continues to, both allow the spam and promote Corddry as he flashes his backside to the world, then you can only assume that they endorse the use of such avatars.
Now that I have thought about it for a little bit I don’t think it is a matter of whether Twitter will condone it or not. The fact is I don’t see how they can touch this one with a ten-foot pole. You can almost be assured that if they did and try to step in on this they would face a howl of protest from the more vocal “social media” types on Twitter, especially if they happened to take down someone like Corddry’s avatar.
Sure this might make for a ‘cute’ avatar but really do we need to go this route as an attention getter?
![‘Ugly Baby’ Jab On ‘Footy Show’ Angers Parents [Video]](http://cdn.inquisitr.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/ugly-baby-100x100.jpg)
![Taylor Swift’s Disgusted Reaction To Justin Bieber, Selena Gomez Kiss Goes Viral [Video]](http://cdn.inquisitr.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/Watch-Justin-Bieber-And-Selena-Gomez-Backstage-Kiss-The-Taylor-Swift-Diss-Video-100x100.jpg)
Jul 26, 2009
you've got nothing better to write about than Rob Cordry's Twitter avatar…you're just embarrassing.
Jul 26, 2009
You're a humorless asshat.
Jul 26, 2009
wow, this is about as retarded as it gets. the article, not the avatar.
Jul 26, 2009
It's a joke, guy. Why so serious?
Jul 26, 2009
1. you can't see his ass. 2. corddry didn't need this avatar to get attention and only added it recently (when he already had thousands and thousands of followers). 3. It's spelled ass, not arse. Learn to speak American (that's what we're calling it now you British cocksucker).
Jul 26, 2009
Sure this might make for a ‘cute’ blog post but really do we need to go this route as an attention getter?
asshat!
Jul 26, 2009
Thank you for posting a bigger, clearer picture of the avatar. Even in it's enlarged state, I don't see anything wrong with this picture. None of his naughty bits are actually showing, not even an arse crack. You see more risque pictures navigating to twitter than this.
Jul 26, 2009
Rob Cordry's picture is not by definition pornographic. For an image to be pornographic it must appeal to the viewer's prurient interest. Rob Cordry's nudity fails to appeal to any prurient interest. Conservative critics may malign his nudity, claiming we must protect the children. Rob has positioned himself in the most coquettish and sensual pose possible. None the less the final photo exudes the raw sexuality of soggy bread. What precisely would we be protecting children from? I suppose we want to protect our children from arousing their interest in sexuality. Rob Cordry's naked haunches fail to arouse anything beyond the desire to look at something else. We worry about our children seeing the commoditization of human flesh and carnality. But for something to be a commodity there must be market demand, and if you peddled this you'd find it difficult to find a single taker at any price. Do I believe that Twitter should remove Rob Cordry's photo, No! Is Rob Cordry's photo offensive? Perhaps, but only in the way a picture of a dead bird, a slug, or dog poop would offend. I will defend Rob's right to post this picture to the death, as long as no one makes me look at it. I propose a campaign in support of Rob. All featured and celebrity bloggers should begin making tribute photos to Rob's art, and post them as their avatars. Beginning (please?) with Hayden Panettiere, and Alyssa Milano.
Jul 26, 2009
Corddry's had that avatar for a while now. Unless you go out of your way to see the bigger photo it doesn't really show much. Hell it doesn't show much to get riled about even in the bigger photo. Well maybe that Corddry needs to do some extra crunches-getting a bit of a paunch.
Jul 26, 2009
I can guarantee you that there are people that find that image pornographic. One mans trash is another mans treasure and there are people so uptight in this world that this would cross an unacceptable line for the.
The question for me though, is not whether this is porn or not, for me it's not, but whether not this is something twitter should be promoting as acceptable behavior on a network where the minimum age requirement is 13..
It's not so much about what the users use the network for, but the stance the network takes in guiding it's direction.
Jul 26, 2009
Steven what I don't get is that almost every other network, from Google's Gtalk to Facebook makes it clear in their terms about what is acceptable or not when you upload your avatar. Twitter simply ignores the fact.
If they come out and say – naked avatars are okay, then awesome. If they say they're not okay, then awesome too.
But I do feel they need to take a stand somewhere and say one way or the other before the spammers and other take complete hold.
Jul 26, 2009
this article is rife with douchebaggery.
Jul 26, 2009
is this really “breaking” news.
Jul 26, 2009
Banned in Alabama – that doesn't count.
Jul 26, 2009
This has to be the stupidest articles i have ever read. Really, everybody now thinks you are a complete asshole. Good work
Jul 26, 2009
get over it.
Jul 27, 2009
I personally think you should cry about it a little more :'-(
Jul 27, 2009
He's a COMEDIAN. Get it? Obviously you don't. Simmer down, folks.
Jul 27, 2009
oh give it a rest.
Jul 27, 2009
I'm humorless?? Shit what the hell does that make you you twat
Jul 27, 2009
There's that asshat thing again .. is this some sort of American fetish? Get a frikken life and quit taking shit so seriously. Perhaps if you re-read the headline you might see the whole tongue in cheek thing going on. Jeezzz
Jul 27, 2009
Perhaps Terms Of Service don't mean squat to you then?
Jul 27, 2009
I never said “his” picture was pornographic but that doesn't make foisting a nude picture of oneself on the users of Twitter the right thing to do.
Also re-read what I wrote .. I said that removing the avatar was not an option really open to Twitter – regardless of their TOS – mainly because of t he stupid and misleading uproar it would cause. As far as his right to post it .. well maybe but not under the Terms of Service we all agree to when we sign up – other than that go for it because like you said – I don't have to look at it.
Jul 27, 2009
ooooo … wow …. talented comment making. What do you do for fun other than wander around extolling your obvious wordsmith abilities?
Jul 27, 2009
is that really a humorous comment?
Jul 27, 2009
I think he may get the whole “tongue in cheek” thing..just his tongue in between two arse cheeks??
Jul 29, 2009
The picture doesn't break the terms of service that I read on twitter ( *Pornography: You may not use obscene or pornographic images in either your profile picture or user background.)
None of his privates are showing, so it's not obscene or pornographic. I am curious, would have voiced the same objection if Demi Moore posted her nude preggo pic as her avatar?
Aug 2, 2009
he right. you fail. and you're fat.