Who would have known that one of the world’s leading adult entertainment sites has much information about you? Yes, it’s true; Pornhub knows a lot about its users and their data. Whether you are aware of it or not, or have visited their site or not, the massive adult entertainment site has gathered years of intimate data about its subscribers. In this article, we’re going to discuss how much data Pornhub knows about you and why it is an important and oftentimes concerning subject.
The Power of Pornhub
Pornhub is essentially a massive online library of free, high-quality adult videos. It’s an immensely popular site and is the 24th highest ranked website in the world according to Alexa.com, with almost 10 million visitors daily and over 30 million videos, millions more than its closest competitors. Home to an extensive selection of all kinds of mature content, Pornhub has established itself as the go-to porn streaming site, making it the most powerful adult entertainment site out there.
Pornhub’s Business Model
Like any business, Pornhub depends on its ability to lure in customers and attract visitors. The website makes money through ads, just like any other website, and much of the income is from repeat customers. In order to keep track of customers and their activities, Pornhub collects data about its users’ interests and behaviors.
Data Pornhub Collects
Pornhub acquires data from a variety of sources to utilize its business model, from something as simple as a user’s search history, to age, gender, and other more personal information. Here’s a comprehensive breakdown of the data Pornhub knows about you:
Demographic Information
When you register on Pornhub, you may provide some personal information, such as gender and age. This demographic information gives Pornhub a base foundation to tailor ads towards certain types of demographics.
Search History
Pornhub continuously tracks its users’ search history, which is used to both provide better tailored suggestions to users and to increase their click-through rate on ads.
IP Address
Pornhub collects your IP address which provides it with information about you geographic location.
Cookies
Pornhub uses tracking cookies, small files placed on your computer, to help it keep track of your interactions with the site and remember your preferences for a better and more personalized user experience.
Login/Registration Data
When you create a Pornhub account, the site collects your login and username information, so it can identify your habits and interests from the data you’ve previously provided.
Videography Data
Pornhub collects their users’ viewing habits and patterns of their content. The site’s ability to track and save your views, likes, or comments can be used to re-target you in case you’re not viewing as much content as before.
Do Not Track
Do Not Track (DNT) is a technology implemented to enable web users to opt out of online tracking by websites. Unfortunately, Pornhub, like most other websites, ignores requests made through this technology.
The Problem With Pornhub’s Data Collection
Since Pornhub records a high amount of data and gathers it almost exclusively through its users’ interactions with their site, it raises the question of whether or not their data collection practices are legal or ethical. The debate around the subject of technology and privacy hasn’t seemed to stop any time soon, and in the EU, data privacy laws have been created to limit the use of a user’s information and data.
The company itself, however, proclaims that it takes all necessary steps to shield its users’ privacy, as it “has stringent security policies in place to protect its database” and that “all data collected is securely stored by third parties.” The site also claims that it doesn’t share user information with third party entities.
It’s important to understand, however, that Pornhub collects data for one main purpose- to monetize their users’ interactions by tracking the types of content they like, dislike, and watch. This is so they can send targeted ads and better tailoring the content they show.
How to Keep Your Data Private
As concerning as it is that Pornhub certainly knows several pieces of data about your searches, IP address, and viewing habits, there are a few ways to protect your data and keep it private.
Using Private Browsing
Whenever you search for Pornhub, or any other site for that matter, it is essential that you have private browsing enabled through the use of an Incognito Mode with recognizable names like Google Chrome. This prevents cookies and searches from being saved in your browser’s history.
Using a VPN
Perhaps the best way to protect yourself is by using a Virtual Private Network (VPN). This serves as a tool through which you can access Pornhub privately and securely. A VPN encrypts your connection, changes your IP address, and ensures that your data is secure and private.
Although Pornhub is one of the biggest adult entertainment sites in the world, it also knows a lot of intimate data of its users, from search histories to IP addresses. Because of this, it is important to be aware of the measures you can take to keep your data safe, such as using private browsing and a VPN. Remember, you have the right to control your data and your privacy; it is merely up to you to exercise that right.