At a time when Facebook users are being warned to reduce their exposure online, UK-based Skinbook is encouraging them to increase it.
The site hit the big time this past week, with an article in Time Magazine, which sent a naked horde running towards the community.
Based on Ning.com, the site emphasizes quality, non-pervy interactions among people who enjoy social nudity, citing 9,000 members. Consequently, potential members must fill out a survey asking them for how long they've been a nudist, as well as a paragraph about them, whom they'd like to meet, favorite clubs/beaches, favorite music, favorite films and television, books/magazines, and favorite quotes.
"Half-arsed one-line answers will be automatically refused," the site warns.
Registrants are also asked to submit a profile photo, again with restrictions. "No pornographic images, random body parts or headless torso shots."
Without restrictions such as these, the quality of the members would go down, the site warns. "Please understand that without this fussy screening process our network would become saturated with lurkers and sex pests."
Skinbook offers two major demographic advantages to typical nudist organizations, the Time article said. First, its members (no pun intended) have an average age between 35 and 40 years old, while the common ages of nudist clubs and associations are usually around 55 or 60. Second, Skinbook skews more female and more couples, while most nudist outlets are dominated by single men, Time reported.
The site also has a Twitter feed , with more than 500 followers, and a Facebook page, with more than 3,000 fans.
Only about 10 percent of applicants are accepted -- a ratio that hasn't changed despite the Time article. "Still no improvement on the 10% approval rate
for new membership applications :(," the Facebook page reported. "And here's us thinking TIME magazine had a more cultured/less creepy following!"
