Jerk off instruction
Jerk off instruction (JOI, pronounced "joy"[1]) is a genre of pornography in which a performer gives spoken or written guidance to masturbation. Usually produced in video form, the practice became popular in the early 2020s on platforms such as Clips4Sale and OnlyFans, primarily due to the low barrier for entry. Analysts highlight the personalized nature of the videos and the power dynamic between the viewer and the performer as reasons for JOI's appeal.
Overview
[edit]Jerk off instruction (JOI) videos feature a single performer who gives instructions meant to assist in masturbation.[2] Unlike most other pornography genres, the performer often wears clothing, such as lingerie, rather than being fully nude. The videos may also feature visual graphics and text with additional instructions.[3] While aimed primarily at male masturbation, jerk off instructions for women and non-binary individuals also exist. JOI content may be combined with other sexual practices, such as edging, foot fetishism or femdom.[4][5][6] Such content is frequently hosted on adult platforms, such as Clips4Sale and OnlyFans.[7]
JOI has been incorporated into interactive formats, such as the pornographic rhythm game Cock Hero (pun on Guitar Hero)[8] and the erotic podcast Voxxx.[9]
History
[edit]According to Clips4Sale's spokesperson Avery Martin, "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." Martin named Babestation and "masturbation encouragement" videos as precursors to JOI.[2][10] Samuel Davis of Know Your Sins noted that the acronym originally appeared in the early 2000s in the form of audio pornography.[4]
The popularity of jerk off instructions increased in the early 2020s, with Clips4Sale reporting a 186% increase in sales of JOI material in United States, 208% in Germany and 48% in Australia from 2022 to 2025. Writing for Tyla, Jen Thomas argued that the surge in popularity was primarily caused by the ease of making content, as it only requires one person and a camera device. Martin opined that the COVID-19 pandemic also caused an influx of JOI content.[2][10]
Analysis
[edit]Various adult creators and actors highlighted the personalized nature of jerk off instructions. Martin stated that "JOI taps into more than just arousal. It fulfills the need to feel wanted, controlled, praised or denied," creating an experience that feels customized and tailored to the viewer. European Instagram fetish account MissWaltrude described JOI content as "a masturbatory trance experience [...] about taking control of another person’s erotic energy, layer by layer," that lets the viewer confess about their habits. Sex Work CEO founder MelRose Michaels described JOI as an "erotic performance style [that] blends control, seduction, dominance and emotional connection all at once."[2]
Samuel Davis mentioned the lack of equipment and sexual experience required to produce JOI videos, opining that the genre is a prominent entry point for pornographic content creators. He also highlighted the psychology of being instructed, which puts the viewer in an anticipating and attentive situation. Femdom JOI was named as the more intense variation of the practice, due to the power dynamic between the viewer and the commanding dominatrix as well as the mixing of various femdom-related concepts, such as orgasm denial and erotic humiliation.[4]
In popular culture
[edit]In the HBO series Euphoria, the character Cassie, played by actress Sydney Sweeney, has a prominent OnlyFans career by selling JOI videos on the platform.[11]
See also
[edit]References
[edit]- ↑ Smiedt, David (2022-10-04). "Do you speak porn? Initialisms and acronyms you do not know". GQ. Retrieved 2026-08-28.
- 1 2 3 4 Fike, Ashley (2025-05-12). "JOI Is Quietly Becoming the Internet's Favorite Kink". Vice. Retrieved 2026-08-27.
- ↑ Cole, Samantha (2023-03-13). "Enter the Goon Cave, Where Porn and Masturbation Is All That Exists". Vice. Retrieved 2026-08-27.
videos and photosets of models, often speaking directly to the viewer jerkoff-instruction-style, edited with mesmerizing, colorful graphics and text
- 1 2 3 Davis, Samuel (2026-06-17). "Femdom JOI: What Jerk-Off Instruction Is and How to Try It". Know Your Sins. Retrieved 2026-08-29.
- ↑ Marshall, Andrew R.C.; Szep, Jason; So, Linda (2024-07-30). "OnlyFans' porn juggernaut fueled by a deception". Reuters. Retrieved 2026-08-27.
The scripts, sometimes called JOIs or "jerk-off instructions," help them engage with subscribers who like, say, older women or sex in cars. Twenty involve feet.
- ↑ Dickson, Ej (2020-10-29). "'Not Voting? Not Cumming!': Meet the Dominatrixes Getting Submissives to Vote Blue". Rolling Stone. Retrieved 2026-08-28.
- ↑ Shane, Charlotte (2021-05-18). "OnlyFans Isn't Just Porn ;)". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2026-08-28.
- ↑ Maiberg, Emanuel (2015-02-24). "Cock Hero Is Guitar Hero for Wanking". Vice. Retrieved 2026-08-27.
Game developer Damion Schubert [...] sees it as an extension of Jerk Off Instruction (JOI) porn
- ↑ "3 Erotic Podcast To Spice Things Up During Your Stay At Home". Augustman. AFP Relaxnews. 2020-11-11. Retrieved 2026-08-28.
- 1 2 Thomas, Jen (2025-05-20). "New 'JOI' sex trend explained as it quietly takes over the internet". Tyla. Retrieved 2026-08-27.
- ↑ Fry, Naomi (2026-05-23). "The Verve and Confrontation of Lisa Yuskavage's Naked Ladies". The New Yorker. ISSN 0028-792X. Retrieved 2026-08-28.
