Pornhub, the premier online destination for adult entertainment, and YouPorn, a favorite porn site for unlimited adult entertainment, today announced that they will join other leading video streaming providers including Facebook, Netflix and Amazon in reducing the default streaming quality of videos on their platforms in France. The decision comes in response to a request from Cédric O, French Minister of State for Digital, to preserve internet bandwidth and avoid straining the network, as many citizens work from home during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Pornhub and YouPorn will be temporarily defaulting all videos on to standard definition (480P). Users can still choose to watch videos in high definition quality, but by default they will be viewing the lower quality video content. France is the fifth largest national audience on Pornhub in the world, and the second largest in Europe, according to Pornhub’s 2019 Year in Review statistics. Similarly, France is YouPorn’s second largest market in terms of viewership.
“We understand the situation and will comply with the French government’s request to reduce streaming quality on our videos,” from Corey Price, Vice President, Pornhub. “We are evaluating our policies and the situation surrounding the COVID-19 pandemic daily to determine how we can best support our vast global community, including ensuring millions can access the internet for work, school, and communication.”
“We have heard the request from France loud and clear and are happy to report that our platform is now compliant,” said Charlie Hughes, Vice President, YouPorn. “We understand that this is a time of rapid change requiring quick adaptability and response. YouPorn is here to help!”
In addition to complying with France’s request, Pornhub has been very proactive in helping the world adjust to the new normal with the Coronavirus. Last week, the company provided its premium offering for free to Italy, France and Spain, and this week it announced it is available for free everywhere else in the world for 30 days. Pornhub has also donated surgical masks and funds to various organizations across the world.
Similarly, YouPorn last week announced the creation of a $100K fund to support Covid-19 relief projects created by technology, engineering and science organizations.
