Porn Use Is Up, Thanks To The Pandemic
Across the globe, the coronavirus pandemic is affecting almost all aspects of daily life. Travel is down; jobless claims are up; and small businesses are struggling.
Self-isolation can be boring and lonely. Annie Spratt/Unsplash, CC BY
But not all businesses are experiencing a downturn. The world’s largest pornography website, Pornhub, has reported large increases in traffic – for instance, seeing an 18% jump over normal numbers after making its premium content free for 30 days for people who agree to stay home and wash their hands frequently. In many regions, these spikes in use have occurred immediately after social distancing measures have been implemented.
Why are people viewing more pornography? I’m a professor of clinical psychology who researches pornography use. Based on a decade...