In These Coronavirus Times, Audio Porn Is Turning Up the Volume

LAS VEGAS—Adult content production is, for the most part, visual. But what about non-visual platforms? If you haven’t found out about it, there’s a boom in audio porn these days. Platforms like Emjoy, Ferly, Quinn, Girl on the Net and Dipsea are finding new audiences looking for intimacy, escapism and erotic pleasure in these coronavirus times. According to a Forbes article published this week, several of the leading audio porn producers have reported a spike in their offerings since social-distancing restrictions became the norm. Further, the pandemic has led many to turn to audio erotica as a form of self-care. Dipsea, a subscription-based app that curates stories allowing women to place themselves into each erotic scene, has seen an 84 percent increase in subscriber volume since quarantine times began. “Stories are so important in this time of social isolation,” Dipsea co-founder Gina Gutierrez told Forbes. “They transport us, nurture our imaginations and remind us of the possibilities out there waiting for us,” she said. “We're not meeting any attractive strangers on the subway platform right now, but in a Dipsea story we can be.” Andrea Oliver, co-founder of Emjoy, an audio-based app, said her platform allows the listener “to create their own visuals.” Emjoy, which has seen a 160 percent spike in usage since March, offers erotic stories within its extensive library of guided audio practices designed by sex experts, including therapists and mindfulness experts.  Oliver noted that app downloads have almost doubled at 46 percent in the same period, with users connecting to the app on average five times a week. “Being at home for so long means that people of all ages are now finding that they have more time to themselves,” Oliver said. “Many, perhaps for the first time, are using this time to reflect on their needs and to focus on self-improvement, wellness and a better understanding of their mental and physical needs. “People are also looking for new and exciting forms of entertainment.” Girl on the Net, which has risen through the ranks to become one of the biggest sex blogs in the U.K., is run by GOTN, who said that people who visit her site “are keenest on the stories that are BDSM and kink-focused.” “I think there's a common conception that audio porn is somehow softer or more gentle than video porn, but that doesn't have to be the case,” she said. “Stepping out of the real world, putting on your headphones and getting lost in some intimate filth can be a lovely way to wind down.”