PornHub, Youporn, Redtube, xHamster and other porn sites promise to respect the privacy of their users, but in fact they collect a lot of data about their visitors. Find out what they are and what they do with it in this article.
This data is stored by PornHub & Co.
The internet portal Vice has researched what data porn sites collect about their visitors. Even though porn content sites promise to respect and protect users’ privacy, Vice editors found that certain information is still collected, even if you surf in incognito mode and delete cookies.
- The IP address is always transmitted.
- Also the city or town where you are located at the time of visiting a porn site.
- The operating system and, in the case of mobile use, possibly also the battery level.
- Browser and browser version data is also recorded.
- Sexual orientation, i.e. whether homosexual, heterosexual etc. is recorded.
- As well as sexual preferences.
- If you do not have an account on the site you are visiting and are not logged in, the information is not usually retained after your visit.
- Additional info is collected and stored if you use a paid premium account. Depending on the portal, payment method, you may even be required to provide your name and credit card details.
If you have an account, the portal also stores the e-mail address you entered during registration.
What your data is used for
Money rules the world, not sex. Most porn sites offer the content for free, but they still need to make money. And they do that by exploiting the information they collect.
- Advertising: Advertisers want their ads to be targeted. This means that information about your sexual preferences, where you are, etc. is used to make sure that you see certain advertising content.
- Recommendations: For example, you will see videos in German or videos related to the topic. The longer you stay on the page and the more page views you make, the more advertising is displayed. And that’s how the portal earns more money.
- Optimised content: Based on the information collected, porn site operators can determine which topics are more popular, what length the videos should ideally be, and much more. This allows them to optimise their offer, which again leads to more page views.
Can you be identified?
It is quite clear that information is collected. But can it identify a person or misuse the data?
- If you don’t have an account, the secure, reliable identification of a person is not possible.
- If you have a premium account and have provided your details (name, credit card, etc.), identification is possible.
- Even if Pornhub & Co. promise not to misuse the users’ data, it can happen that hackers steal the data. In rare cases, the information can then be used to blackmail a person, for example if he or she is a well-known personality or holds a high office.
In the worst case, sexual minorities may be persecuted. For example, where there is a homophobic government or where homosexuality is banned.
