Oct 9, 2013 3:30 PM PDT    Text size: 

MONTREAL — This week PornHub is launching PornIQ, an experimental service that uses an algorithm to create personalized XXX video playlists for the viewer based on his or her preferences and other data points — like where they live and how much time they want to spend watching clips.

“If you know exactly what you’re looking for, just search,” PornHub Vice President Corey Price said, “But if you don’t know exactly what you want, this is a great way to deliver a different kind of experience.”

PornIQ is following in the footsteps of other media channels that have conscripted their users’ behavioral and sociological data to provide prefab viewing suggestions, like Pandora and News 360 (for music and news, respectively).

While their target content is very different, the end effect is very similar: users are freed from the sometimes arduous task of combing through an excessive amount of choices to find what they want.  

PornHub's new service employs a highly visual, aesthetically simple platform. The homepage asks users, “What do you desire?” and provides popular niches as choices (All Chicks No Dicks, MILF Knows Best, Oriental Beauties, Drawn for Your Pleasure, etc.) accompanied by pictures of said category.

PandoDaily notes that PornHub’s “data-intensive” approach to porn viewing may have an edge over something like user-generated playlists, which are lists made by individuals and shared publicly, because it allows users to retain their privacy. And privacy, understandably, is something that many consumers value when watching porn.