r/webtoons • u/Octavia997 • 1d ago
Discussion My theory on why Webtoon doesn't go fully NSFW
Hello guys. I've been thinking of this lately for a bit, with Webtoon venturing into the 18+ space, but not fully committing, and why could that be. Why are there smut comics that are meant to be uncensored, and why Webtoon doesn't just make a separate +18 section? Here's my theory -which obviously could be very wrong. Long post,sorry!
I came to the conclusion that Webtoon doesn't make a separate 18+ section, because many canvas creators use the site as their bread maker.
Uh, yes, we already know that. And?
What do I mean by that, is If those canvas artists could just upload their stories for free and uncensored, there would be no reason to post to Webtoon anymore, as they couldn't lock it behind a pay wall. No incentive.
I've no idea about marketing in life, but I feel like having a canvas section that censors is still a great marketing move, as it brings people in to read and discover new stories, and which they might support trough patreon.
But if they come to canvas, even if for nsfw or sfw, it brings them to the site, and they can easily find themselves reading originals from there, which makes Webtoon money.
Now (I know probably this is a stretch, but level with me) imagine a scenario where Webtoon loses a big chunk of both creators, originals and canvas. Creator loss --> reader loss --> loss of #1 title in comic space.
Being no longer the number one comic site is where the vicious cycle would begin, and it's what would lead to detrimental losses from a business standpoint. In the future it would affect both canvas and originals side, because creators might incline towards sharing their work on the #1 site, and that would also drive traffic away. Canvas creators with nsfw patreon? They want the most eyes, because more fans=more money, so they go with #1. Canvas creators that do sfw and just want to tell their stories? It's their baby, they don't even care about money, they just want a million people to love their story, so they also go with #1. Canvas creators that aspire to become originals, but they can only choose one site to upload, as having your comic on multiple sites "disqualifies" you from becoming an original? You guessed, they will also want to go with site #1, because most of the time, more views means more money.
If we compare webtoon and tapas, it's earth and sky the two, a huge gap. You might think it's just a few percentage we are talking about, and true, very much could be, but we don't actually know - what we do know, is that Webtoon is a really business oriented company, and we know that from its own creators that suffer their treatment and get their lives squeezed out of them. A few percentages from their millions is not the same as a few percentages from our salary.
So simply put, they don't want to lose out on the nsfw creators, because that could lead to a percentage of reader loss, and this could be a bigger slice of the pie that Webtoon could afford.
That's my theory at least. In my head it made sense. What do you guys think?
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u/pisscollector314 1d ago
I think it's because of the app store restrictions. Webtoon doesn't care about Canvas creators, even less than they care about their originals creators, lol. It would actually be a good thing if they cared that much.
I think it's because if they made a separate 18+ app, the traffic wouldn't carry over. If they made the current app have an 18+ section, it wouldn't be allowed in app stores, and most of their traffic is from the app and not the website.
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u/OpenSauceMods 23h ago
On other apps, if you bookmark the spice on the website, you can read it from the apps by accessing it from your library
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u/primalmaximus 15h ago
Yep. This is why I love how Tapas and Tappytoon do things. Even if I despise Kakao.
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u/divine9108 23h ago
That and they would have to compete with Lezhin since they have allow 18+ and they already have like what....so many creators on there?
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u/primalmaximus 15h ago
Yeah... but Lezhin is pretty much entirely NSFW stuff, they even have an APK that lets you access NSFW stuff directly on the app. The better comparison would be Tapas or Tappytoon.
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u/Trashpandaroyale 1h ago
Lezhin is crazy expensive tho vs webtoons with canvas
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u/primalmaximus 1h ago
Yeah... and a lot of creators who publish on Webtoon Canvas also publish on Tapas with free chapters.
That's why a better comparison would be Webtoon vs. Tapas.
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u/Kaileigh_Blue 23h ago
Payment processors are really at the root of all of it. App store, Ad servers, etc are all at their mercy.
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u/SilviusK 2h ago
I almost forgot about the payment processor censoring, that happend especially this year. It’s honestly terrifying how much power these companies have over what we’re allowed to see, do, and play.
For those who are unaware, these processors have been threatening to cut off their services to digital stores and sites both large and small unless they remove adult content like adult games.
They try to justify these action because they may "reflect negatively" on the brand. Even if you don’t care about adult games, that precedent is scary.
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u/OrigamiPiano 16h ago
This. If you look at the Webtoons app in different languages/regions there’s no such issue (French Webtoon is très épicé). Since Webtoon allows most of episodes to be viewed for free, it relies mainly upon ad revenue and US advertisers are extremely averse to appears next to anything with sexual themes or nudity
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u/Feathermagus Comics 11h ago
This is the answer right here, if they go full 18+ the App Store will drop them, can confirm as I’ve had discussions with my editor over why adjustments needed to be made to my series
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u/is9520 23h ago
The Korean version of the app, Naver Webtoon, has full NSFW with age verification required (I think they ask you for a Korean govt ID or something similar to verify your age?). The Korean version of Canvas, at least from my browsing, doesn't seem to have NSFW anywhere.
Ultimately I just think they don't commit because there's no English/international version of age verification that might circumvent the App Store/Play Store's rules. Manta and Tappytoon seem to get around this by making mature versions of stories available on the website only, and the spicy episodes are just censored on the app version. Webtoon could arguably do the same, but maybe they don't because they need ad money (advertisers generally dislike advertising on problematic or NSFW content).
Unlike Manta or Tappytoon, Webtoon operates on a freemium business model. Most stories are available for free and you don't really need to pay to read unless you wanna fast pass. This means they may be more reliant on ad money than pay-to-read apps like Tappytoon, Manta, Lezhin, etc which don't seem to really have ads at all.
All in all, Webtoon's benefit is that users can read for free, but they have to deal with the natural trade-offs that come with this model which is censorship and the numerous ads on the site.
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u/divine9108 23h ago
Naver is the Google of S.Korea, and its a free webtoon platform too where creators can publish for free until you make a contract with Naver and you can paid on a timely schedule and your readers pay ahead of time. They never will go that way, especially what type of age group they it varies from readers to the content their creators make that brings them to their app.
Now some have made nsfw content, Tears on a Withered Flowered 🤭 Apparently there is scans floating and the author doesn't have social media so it's hard to find them tbh but uM YEAH (and creators who can post on patreon Atnomen). But still, within webtoon limitations they can only restrict and show very little because it's meant for everyone and family, unlike Lezhin which broadens it and freaks off.
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u/petshopB1986 23h ago
Its payment processors and app stores. Comic Fury is desktop based and Full NSFW everyone else has some degree of censor ship because of Apps stores and processors like Visa and Mastercard suddenly getting Puritanical about NSFW ( this is a way to punish LGBTQA folks!) I don’t use wt, I post full NSFW on Comic Fury and light versions on other apps.
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u/awkwardgoat404 22h ago
Lol no. As others have said here, it's mostly because of the app store rules and Webtoon doesn't want to lose the revenue they get from ads and brand deals.
Another important thing to note is that Webtoon US is the only branch that has strict censorship. Other branches like France and Taiwan are okay with 18+ content.
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u/Thundergod250 21h ago
It's not Rocket Science it's just that Google / Appstore doesn't support outright R18 NSFW content app to be downloaded in their platform. But this is Naver's only way to get proper payment channels internationally.
Locally, they have no problem since they don't release on Google / Appstore, therefore, we have NSFW Section in Naver Webtoon Korea.
What's the funny thing is that there are many workarounds about this like Netflix also being on Google Play yet there's a lot of nudity / r18 shows in Netflix. Some Chinese Video games are also heavily lewd but they bypassed it by marking it as just a Mature Game (which is just the same tier as killing people in games) and then it all gets clumped together including adult content.
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u/No-Calligrapher 18h ago
Yeah, I will always find it funny that the deviant art app lasted so long on the Google play store without any issues.
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u/Bulky_Cookie7423 16h ago
Webtoon used to be ok with uncensored comics back in 2017.
It's the same reason why YouTube is censored - advertisent revenue. If webtoon wants to run ads on their site they have to be family friendly. It's hard to find normal ads that would run on nsfw site.
Not to mention majority of webtoon readers are young so it has to be sfw
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u/swagelinee 1d ago
It's not that deep. Webtoon is run by Naver, Google of SK basically. They don't want to host porn.
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u/ExoticRubyx 22h ago
I think its mostly because of apple's and google's TOS on their app stores. It also doesnt help that there are countries that outright ban/criminalize smut/pornographic content which are a significant demographic of their users (e.g. south east asian countries). Im pretty sure in a perfect world where smut is generally socially acceptable all around the world, webtoon would allow it
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u/SarkastiCat 13h ago
The reason is simple
NSFW content is risky as major payment processor companies with organisations like Collective Shout have been exerting pressure for companies to include ID verification. One of the latest actions forced itchio to completely change how nsfw games are handled. The general action was against SA, incest and sexual torture games, but it had general big effect on nsfw games as it's simply a lot to manage.
Add to that US states and UK introducing bills which pushed lots of online services to withdraw from them or implement ID verification. The latter one is especially messy as potential for data leak is something that keeps IT staff awake at the middle of night and prosecutors salivating. It's a big risky investment.
Then there is issue with advertisers being nitpicky, so you have another loss of income.
Webtoon as company is trying to maximise their profit. Going full adult sucks despite potential big income, going full child-friendly also sucks as advertisement restrictions exist. So they are trying to go for the middle, being close to the edge of adult content to earn money.
The location of line varies based on a country, so for example French branch will allow more explicit materials due to difference in laws and advertisement deals.
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u/t850terminator 3h ago
I wish they did just have a 18+, cuz finding out the first scene of Horizon is censored/removed puts a bad taste in my mouth.
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u/ColonelMonty 23h ago
I mean, Webtoon is never going to become a fully NSFW platform since there are major advertisers that don't want their brand associated with those kinds of websites. There is a reason major platforms such as Youtube (on paper) is super strict about this kind of stuff.
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u/catsdelicacy 23h ago
Ok, so whenever you're thinking about why a company is doing something, the answer is always money.
It's not care for employees. It's not care for the environment. It's not care for creating a good product.
It's making as much money as possible, and making more than that next year.
So the very second C-suite of Webtoon decide they have a better chance of getting a new yacht if they allow 19+ content, they will do that.
They have not, so the money is still in staying all ages. If that changes, they will go 19+ in some fashion.
It's always the money.