How did the porn industry help shape the internet we use today? From Pornhub and OnlyFans to social media, the influence of online pornography extends far beyond what we might imagine.
In this episode of Ways to Change the World, Krishnan Guru-Murthy speaks to Financial Times investigative journalist Patricia Nilsson, author of Guilty Pleasure: The Pornification of the Internet, the Economy, and Everything Else.
Nilsson reveals how the porn industry pioneered technologies and business models that underpin much of today's digital economy, from online payments and live streaming to algorithms designed to keep us scrolling. She explores the secretive companies behind some of the world's biggest pornography websites, the closest thing they have to regulation, and the risks posed by the collection of our most intimate personal data.
They also discuss the rise of OnlyFans, whether increasingly extreme online content is changing our relationships and sexual behaviour, and what culture deems acceptable.
Has pornography simply changed the internet, or has it fundamentally changed us?
This podcast contains discussion about the business model and financing of the porn industry. It includes moderately offensive language.