HAS COVID-19 INTENSIFIED VISITING BEHAVIORS OF ONLYFANS AND ITS ALTERNATIVES?: AN EMPIRICAL ANALYSIS

Abstract

Due to multiple COVID-19 lockdowns, individuals likely engaged in multiple activities, including viewing adult content. Even though a subscription-based pornographic content sharing (SPCS) website (e.g., OnlyFans or Fancentro) is operationally distinct from traditional sexual channels (e.g., Pornhub or Xvideos), no study has examined whether COVID-19 increased the visiting behaviors of these SPCS websites. Consequently, we attempted to address this void. The subscription to comScore services by Chulalongkorn Business School allowed us to utilize actual visitor behavior at three SPCS websites before and during COVID-19. The analysis of 17,477 visit sessions revealed that (1) pageviews and visit duration peaked before the pandemic, but (2) the average length of stay per pageview increased during the pandemic compared to before its introduction. In addition to providing theoretical insight into the relationship between COVID-19 and website-visiting behaviors of SPCS, our findings offer practical contributions.