Uncover the Shocking Truth Behind Your Favorite Porn Videos: Are They Ethically Made or Not?

In today’s one-click wonderland, we can conjure up just about any kind of porn our minds—or other curious body parts—desire with a few swift taps on the keyboard . Sounds like a dream, right? But hold up—free porn might feel like a sweet deal, yet it often comes with hidden costs you never signed up for . Beyond the thrill of instant access, have you ever paused to wonder: where does all that “free” content actually come from? As certified sex therapist Kate Levine points out, it’s way too easy to forget the human stories behind those pixels—and those folks deserve safety, respect, and fair pay just like anyone else . Unfortunately, much of this seemingly costless content is lifted or duplicated from paid creators and often produced in ethically murky waters . That’s why the concept of ethical porn isn’t just a nice-to-have—it’s essential . Ahead, we dive deep with sex experts to untangle what really makes porn “ethical,” how you can spot it, and where to enjoy it guilt-free (and with peace of mind!). Ready to rethink your click? LEARN MORE

These days, all it takes is a few keyboard strikes and you can find just about any type of porn your heart (or, erm, another area of your body) desires. And while may get a rush from having access to this type of content without ever entering your card number, sorry to be the bearer of bad news, but free porn isn’t necessarily “free.” Not only that, but the content available on these sites is often not the healthiest for your sex life.

“Because free sites are so normalized and simple to access online, it’s easy to forget to question where [the] content comes from,” says certified sex therapist Kate Levine, LMHC. “People involved in porn or any type of sex work deserve to be safe and respected, as well as compensated for their labor.”

In fact, much of that “free” content is stolen or duplicated from other paid sites and original creators. Plus, it’s often produced under wildly unethical conditions.

This is where the need for ethical porn comes in. Ahead, sex experts share exactly what makes ethical porn, well, “ethical,” how to know if you’re watching an ethical option, and where to find it online.

Meet the experts: Kate Levine, LMHC, is a certified sex therapist based in Brooklyn, New York. Angie Rowntree is a filmmaker and the founder of award-winning ethical porn site Sssh.com. Gloria Brame, PhD, is a clinical sexologist, sex therapist, and best-selling author of Different Loving: The World of Sexual Dominance and Submission.

What is ethical porn?

Like the name suggests, ethical porn is porn produced ethically. It’s labeled as such because production is held to a certain code or standard of ethics determined by business owners, producers, and performers.

“Ethical porn is a broad term used to describe a style of doing business that commences before the cameras are ever rolling,” says Angie Rowntree, founder and director of award-winning ethical porn site Sssh.com. “Ethical porn thus encompasses many better business practices.”

These practices include offering fair wages to both performers and crew, giving breaks to performers as needed, and creating a safe, comfortable filming environment. In order to pay the performers and crew properly, these ethical porn sites often only offer paid content—so you know you’re supporting a fair work environment for everyone involved. “Further, ethical porn studios tend to be conscious about marketing: They avoid proliferating harmful tropes and stereotypes about performers and are always sex-positive and inclusive,” Rowntree adds.

What makes porn ethical?

While production and the business side of porn are incredibly important when it comes to creating an ethical environment, there are also elements about the content itself that differentiate ethical porn from the kind you might find on a free site.

What sets ethical porn apart from its counterparts is its inclusivity and social awareness, explains Gloria Brame, PhD. “Many ethical porn producers are inclusive [in that] body size, age, skin color, and more are honored, which is also a big departure from the old porn [that] only picked people who looked like models and set unrealistic standards on how sex partners should look,” says Brame.

Furthermore, ethical porn isn’t created solely for the male gaze, she adds: “This means more positive female characters, more realistic experiences that don’t rely on clichés—like that pizza delivery guy getting seduced everywhere he goes—and sometimes genuine intimacy that helps viewers relate more to the actors and events.”

Agency and consent are also highly respected when it comes to ethical porn production. Rowntree shares that the content her platform creates is a collaborative effort from start to finish. The performers themselves get a say on the script, what sex acts they perform, and generally what they’re comfortable and not comfortable with.

And a main focus of ethical porn is creating content that is both real and relatable, not simply creating videos for views and profit, adds Rowntree. The pleasure and enjoyment that can be seen in ethical porn videos is actually authentic because the performers are there by choice and feel a certain chemistry as well as comfort with each other. “Whether the sex is ‘vanilla’ or more on the kinky spectrum, ethical porn scenes are always created from enthusiastic consent, transparency, chemistry, and connection,” says Rowntree. “This means that you’re going to see sex that is both believable and relatable.”

After all, despite assumptions to the contrary, women consume porn and enjoy it, so it only makes sense that this type of content should cater to a wide audience.

How do I know if the porn I’m watching was ethically made?

If you plan to consume ethical porn regularly, doing your own research is critical to making sure you’re supporting sites that produce and sell their content ethically. Looking into how they pay their performers, what the conditions during shoots are like for the actors and crew, as well as the nature of the content itself are all great steps to take in your research.

“Most ethical porn sites let you know up front that they abide by this niche’s standards of paying living wages to actors, providing a safe workplace, and only hiring consenting adult performers and crews,” Brame explains. “If you miss the statement, then look for diversity in the actors (ethical porn doesn’t discriminate on size, age, race, ability, or body types). If you don’t see much diversity in their porn, it may not be ethical porn.”

You might also consider following your favorite performers or production companies on social media and other platforms in order to keep up with the best makers in the industry—doing so can also help you figure out what you like and what you might want to keep an eye out for in the future.

Although it sometimes takes a bit of extra effort, looking for ethical porn to consume yourself (or with a partner) can make all the difference in both what inspires your bedroom behavior and in supporting the ethical production of porn at-large.

Scrolling through new posts from your favorite performers on OnlyFans and truly ethical porn sites rather than quickly searching for the first free video to watch can get you in the habit of making sure you’re contributing to safer, healthier, and more inclusive sex-positive environments.

You’ll get even more turned on knowing that the content you’re watching is not only hot AF, but everyone involved felt amazing creating it, too!

Where can I watch ethical porn?

There are a number of sites where you can access and enjoy ethically-produced pornography, including Bellesa, Make Love Not Porn, JoyBear, and more. Check out our complete guide to the best ethical porn sites here, curated by Brame.

Lexi Inks (she/her) is a lifestyle journalist based in Jacksonville, Florida. She has reported on countless topics, including sexual wellness, astrology, relationship issues, non-monogamy, mental health, pop culture, and more. In addition to Women’s Health, her work has been published on Bustle, Cosmopolitan, Well + Good, Byrdie, Popsugar, and others. As a queer and plus-size woman with living with mental illness, Lexi strives for intersectionality and representation in all of her writing. She holds a BFA in Musical Theatre from Jacksonville University, which she has chosen to make everyone’s problem.