There’s a fetish quietly dominating the adult content economy, and unless you spend time in the murky subcultures of OnlyFans or Clips4Sale, you’ve probably never heard of it. It’s called JOI, short for “jerk off instruction,” and despite sounding like a sex ed video from a health class gone rogue, it’s one of the fastest-growing and most lucrative kink categories online.
The premise is deceptively simple: someone hot looks directly into the camera and tells you how to masturbate. But according to creators, fans, and platforms, JOI is far more than a glorified pep talk for your genitals. “JOI to me is an erotic performance style where the speaker, through voice, video, or text, guides the viewer or listener through the act of masturbation,” MelRose Michaels, founder of Sex Work CEO and veteran adult creator, told VICE. “It blends control, seduction, dominance, and emotional connection all at once.”
And the numbers back her up. JOI content has climbed the charts in recent years, with Clips4Sale reporting a 186 percent increase in U.S. sales since 2022. Germany is leading the charge with a wild 208 percent spike, and even Australia saw a 48 percent bump. JOI is now consistently ranked in the top 100 categories globally.
“JOI as a concept has existed for a long time, but it’s only more recently that it got a name and became its own recognized fetish,” says Avery Martin of Clips4Sale. “Before people started talking about JOI, there were things like ‘masturbation encouragement.’ But JOI as a phenomenon really emerged from creator culture, from the intersection of technology and sexuality. It’s a direct connection between the fan and the creators, and since the pandemic interest has surged across the board.”
Which helps explain why creators are embracing it. JOI doesn’t require performers to have sex on camera. Instead, it hinges on connection. “JOI taps into more than just arousal. It fulfills the need to feel wanted, controlled, praised…or denied,” MelRose told us. “It creates a fantasy where they’re not just ‘another viewer’ or some ‘random fan.’ Instead, they’re ‘the’ viewer, the one this content was created for specifically.”
For MissWaltrude, a European fetishist and hypnokinkster, it’s a fully immersive trance. “JOI, to me, is a masturbatory trance experience with multiple layers,” she explains. “It’s about taking control of another person’s erotic energy, layer by layer. I’m a storyteller above all, and my goal is to guide the viewer through a deeply embodied journey.”
There’s a therapeutic edge to it, too. “JOI gives permission. It lets someone safely confess, ‘Hey, this turns me on,’ and then be commanded to dive deeper,” she adds. “Obedience is pleasure—and there’s great pleasure to be found in obedience.”
So if you’ve ever found yourself edging to a sultry voice giving you very specific instructions, congratulations. You’re part of a movement. Or a kink. Or a revolution. Either way, welcome to JOI. May is Masturbation Month, after all. Seems like the perfect time to come clean.
The post JOI Is Quietly Becoming the Internet’s Favorite Kink appeared first on VICE.
