Indians absolutely love watching porn. No, seriously.
Year after year, data from Pornhub, one of the world’s most popular porn websites, shows the country is among the top of the list in adult content consumption.
Indian authorities, though, have a fraught relationship with the industry itself. Courts here have twice banned over 800 websites hosting such content.
The second ban was ordered in October by the high court of the northern state of Uttarakhand on the grounds that porn incites teenagers to commit sexual assault.
Even as it faces backlash for negatively skewing young adults’ understanding of sex, Pornhub last year launched an online Sexual Wellness Center, which provides information on sexual and reproductive well-being. Indians once again happen to be among its top visitors.
In an interview with Quartz, Pornhub vice-president Corey Price spoke about India’s love for porn and the impact of the ban on the website’s traffic. Edited excerpts:
Indians are known to watch video content only as long as it’s for free. Could you shed some light on your paid subscriber base in India?
Since launching in 2015, Pornhub Premium has set the new standard for on-demand, high-quality streaming for online adult entertainment. The platform offers users an entirely ad-free experience, as well as access to hundreds of thousands of exclusive full-length high-definition films in 1080p resolution. Year over year, our paid subscriber base for Pornhub Premium has increased. It’s been wildly successful since its inception and something our fans really enjoy, including those in India.
How has your traffic been impacted after India banned porn websites again?
It’s still too early to determine the full extent of the impact, but traffic has declined.
What are your views on the uncertainty around the regulatory environment in India? How do these bans impact your business?
Similar bans have been enforced in other countries, such as Russia, where a solution was found to allow Pornhub to keep operating. We plan to handle this ban in India in the same manner, working closely with the government to ensure we are compliant with their access laws, in order to rectify the situation.
Have you interacted with the Indian government to explain your stance?
Yes, we’ve reached out to the Indian government. While we wait to hear back, we’ve launched a mirror site which isn’t blocked.
The argument is that watching pornography incites rape. What is your response to it?
If the court truly believed that, why didn’t it ban all adult entertainment sites? The court banned the larger sites and left out many smaller ones, including those that offer illegal content.
Why do you think Indians are among the most ardent porn watchers?
India is very similar to every other country in that a portion of its population enjoys consuming porn.
Has Pornhub Sexual Wellness Center received any traffic from India?
India ranks eighth as the country with most visits to our Sexual Wellness Center.
Do you have any plans to invest in India? If yes, in what areas?
We will continue to grow the Pornhub brand and launch products/services around the world, including India.