Porn Thrives in India Despite Ban; Pornhub Use Jumps 95%

Porn Thrives in India Despite Ban; Pornhub Use Jumps 95%

LOS ANGELES — Recent reports have revealed that online adult entertainment is thriving in India as the country copes with the coronavirus pandemic and "stay at home" restrictions.

The surge in traffic comes despite the country’s ban on specific adult websites, including Pornhub, imposed in 2015 by India’s Department of Telecommunications. The company responded to the .com ban by launching Pornhub.org for the country’s 1.3 billion residents and recently followed up with its global offer of free Pornhub Premium memberships as part of its “StayHomeHub” campaign, further fueling its growth on the sub-continent.

News reports now suggest the site’s reach has increased by 95 percent.

“Indians have been increasingly hitting [Pornhub] for porn since the announcement of the lockdown on March 24,” Aswathy T.O. wrote for International Business Times. “Luckily for Indians, the lockdown also coincided with Pornhub’s announcement to provide a month’s worth of access to its Premium account for free across countries as a token of support during the tough lockdown times. Indians seem to have responded to this with utmost enthusiasm!” 

The 95 percent increase in traffic occurred by March 27; by April 1, the increase hovered at 64 percent. "Indians [are] clearly making the most of both social distancing and free porn," Aswathy said.

For comparison, Pornhub reports that its global traffic level spiked by over 24 percent, reaching its highest level March 25.

For more information, click here.

Related:  

Copyright © 2025 Adnet Media. All Rights Reserved. XBIZ is a trademark of Adnet Media.
Reproduction in whole or in part in any form or medium without express written permission is prohibited.

More News

Industry Photog, 'Payout' Founder Mike B Passes Away

Longtime industry photographer and publisher Michael Bartholomey, known widely as Mike B, passed away Saturday.

FSC Announces 2025 Board of Directors Election Nominees

The Free Speech Coalition (FSC) has announced the nominees for its 2025 Board of Directors election.

AdultHTML Launches Black Friday Web Design, Development Promo

AdultHTML has launched its annual Black Friday/Cyber Monday promo for web design and development, running through Dec. 5.

Canada Exempts Online Adult Content From 'CanCon' Quotas

The Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC) has updated its broadcasting regulatory policies, exempting streaming adult content from “made in Canada” requirements that apply to other online material.

Creator Law Firm 'OnlyFirm' Launches

Entertainment attorney Alex Lonstein has officially launched OnlyFirm.com for creators.

German Court Puts Pornhub, YouPorn 'Network Ban' on Hold

The Administrative Court of Düsseldorf has temporarily blocked the State Media Authority of North Rhine-Westphalia (LfM) from forcing telecom providers to cut off access to Aylo-owned adult sites Pornhub and YouPorn.

FSC: NC Law Invalidating Model Contracts Takes Effect December 1

The Free Speech Coalition (FSC) announced today that North Carolina's Prevent Exploitation of Women and Minors Act goes into effect on December 1.The announcement follows:

Ofcom Investigates More Sites in Wake of AV Traffic Shifts

U.K. media regulator Ofcom has launched investigations into 20 more adult sites as part of its age assurance enforcement program under the Online Safety Act.

MintStars Launches Debit Card for Creators

MintStars has launched its MintStars Creator Card, powered by Payy.

xHamster Settles Texas AV Lawsuit, Pays $120,000

Hammy Media, parent company of xHamster, has settled a lawsuit brought by the state of Texas over alleged noncompliance with the state’s age verification law, agreeing to pay a $120,000 penalty.

Show More