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5 things you didn’t know about the porn industry

Source: HBO
Source: HBO

Cape Town - Since access to the internet has become so widespread, there’s been a boom in the porn industry, with people getting to watch whatever they like, whenever they like. Sex has become part of the pop culture landscape like never before - in no small part thanks to the popularity of the book and then the box office smash-hit Fifty Shades of Grey.

So it’s no surprise that the porn industry itself has developed and changed in leaps and bounds since the first ‘mainstream’ film was released - Deep Throat starring Linda Lovelace - in 1972, which ushered in the Golden Age of Porn.

The fascination with the sex industry continues in the latest hit series from HBO, The Deuce. Starring James Franco and Maggie Gyllenhaal, this gritty series explores the sex industry in the early 70s - prostitution, the opening of massage parlours/brothels and the burgeoning porn industry.

Here are some facts you might not know about the porn industry of today:

1. Piracy could kill porn

Globally, porn is a $97-billion industry, but piracy costs filmmakers millions of dollars per year. Since the companies that produce porn aren’t obliged to issue yearly financials, and exact figures are (ahem) hard to come by, it’s difficult to say exactly how much the traditional porn industry has declined since live web-cam models and illegal downloads became commonplace. But, while fewer traditional films are currently being made than in years gone by, some companies are finding ways to adapt, and to use technology to their advantage.

2. One in every five searches on mobile devices is for pornography

In 2013, Covenant Eyes reported that a Google research project revealed that one in every five searches on its platform was for pornography.  

3. Single men view porn for approximately 40 minutes per week

A report by the University of Montreal revealed that the average single man watches about 40 minutes of porn a week, while the average man in a committed relationship watches about 20 minutes of porn a week. The researchers at the University of Montreal also tried to do a focus group with men who had never watched porn - but they couldn’t find anyone who was eligible to participate.

4. Those who watch porn are less sexist than those who don’t

According to a study that was conducted at the University of Western Ontario with a group of people that do not watch porn and a group of people that do, they found that the porn watchers reacted more positively towards women in politics and women having non-conventional careers. The porn-watchers were also mostly pro-choice.

5. Porn directing is not just a men’s game

We see this more clearly in The Deuce, when Eileen/Candy begins to find her passion working in the porn film industry. An article published on International Business Times revealed that unlike their Hollywood counterparts, there are many women working in the adult film industry behind the camera, and who get awarded and revered for their abilities.

Find out more about the porn industry in HBO’s fictionalised The Deuce on Showmax now, as well of plenty of other excellent series and films. Sign up for Showmax today and you get a 14-day FREE trial. And if you’re a DStv Premium subscriber, get Showmax at no extra cost. Find out how here.

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