What Net Neutrality Means for Free Adult Film Sites

The recent government vote on ending Net Neutrality has been widely criticized, and now we have a better idea of what it could mean for free adult film websites.

The FCC's vote to repeal Obama Administration-era Internet rules will, as FCC chairman Ajit Pai puts it, help "consumers" and promote competition among "broadband providers." That "competition" could be a nail in the coffin for free adult film websites, however, as Internet providers will now be allowed to charge more for them to be viewed.

The adult film industry is currently the number one online industry, on a global level, and could very likely see its shape forever changed by these new regulation changes as they could lose viewers if it cost more to access their sites, according to the Daily Mail.

Pornhub, one of the largest adult film websites in the world, averaged 44,000 visits per hour in 2016 with viewers watching more than 91 billion videos, called the new FCC ruling a "threat to a free and open internet."

"Without [net neutrality], the cable and wireless companies that control internet access will have unfair power to pick winners and losers in the market," Corey Price, Pornhub's vice president, added.

"No one in the porn industry ever yells 'slower, slower, slower.' We're much more accustomed to 'faster, faster, faster.' Here at Pornhub we want to keep it that way," Prince concluded.

Alex Hawkins, a spokesperson for adult film website xHamster, also commented on the vote, saying he believes the decision will favor a "heteronormative version of sexuality" online.

"Net neutrality is the first step in making the US market align with more conservative regimes across the world, not just in terms of porn, but in ideas about sexuality," Hawkins added. "The same governments that severely restrict adult content are also the ones that limit sexual expression, LGBTQ rights, women's rights and access to different ideas."