Even the Pornstars are Clip Farming: How Algorithms Are Reshaping Intimacy

By Reese Villella

Everyone is so brainrotted these days that they don’t even have the time or dedication to invest in a good ‘ol fashion porno. The allure of short-form content has famously pervaded TikTok, Instagram Reels, and, if you’re a loser, YouTube Shorts. But consuming tantalizingly concise content via social media has now permeated other facets of media, proving no creator is holier than thou when it comes to bite-sized content. Even the pornstars are clip farming. 

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Young adults simply don’t have an attention span anymore. They don’t go onto PornHub because they don’t care that the pizza delivery came to the wrong house or that the babysitter was caught masturbating in the family room after she put the kids to sleep. They have no appreciation for world-building. They just go onto X, formerly known as Twitter, type “NSFW,” and scroll from video to video. They might as well just be putting compilation sound bites of moans over gameplay of Subway Surfers at this point. 

I don’t say all this because I’m some big proponent of classic porn, whatever that means. I don’t consume porn or even care all that much about other people’s consumption of it. Watch what you watch, as long as you know it’s fiction. What I care about is how the consumption of explicit content impacts people’s lives.

Transforming pornographic consumption from narrative-driven to X-rated brainrot diminishes sex to its shortest, most climactic moments, suggesting these are the only moments that are valuable in human intimacy. This reductive portrayal of sexuality fails to capture the complexity, vulnerability, and emotional depth that define genuine human connection.

Highly condensed content suggests that what is important in sexual experience is the brief and often exaggerated climax. This model implies that value of intimacy is measured by immediate gratification.

Of course, I have my reservations about the consumption of pornography, short-form or otherwise. When consumed in excess, it can be abused and distort people’s expectations of real-life intimacy. And, of course, the accessibility to highly stimulating content leads viewers to gradually opt for more extreme videos. With that disclaimer out of the way, I’d like to acknowledge and appreciate amateur platforms like OnlyFans, which have allowed sex workers to have more agency and autonomy. Further, I’d like to emphasize that none of my critiques are aimed at sex workers directly, but rather, the systematic exploitation of sexuality via the porn industry. 

The issue of porn is compounded by other cultural shifts in Generation Z. Young people are having less sex, partying less, and opting out of being fucking cool, at least that’s how it sounds when you first hear this trend in behavior. Factors like COVID-19 and the fentanyl crisis have played a role in reshaping attitudes toward risk, pleasure, and social connection. More and more young people are experiencing "sexual anorexia," the aversion to intimacy and sexual connection.

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The impact of porn reflects the larger cultural shift toward instant gratification and reduced emotional engagement. My complaints do not lie solely with fragmented content within pornography, specifically. Overall, I think we’ve embraced quick, impersonal content past the point of no return. So, yes, I’m concerned as a filmmaker how this will impact film and television consumption. As a writer, I’m concerned about how it will impact the future of reading, especially since the only books longer than 100 pages people seem to read these days are erotica about taboo romance. But, as a member of Gen-Z trying to make connections with people, I’m also concerned about how it has reshaped sexual norms and pushed people toward sexuality that is transactional and devoid of deeper meaning.

Believe me, I love transactions in other aspects of my life. I love checking things off my to-do list. I love getting stuff done and being efficient. And sure, I think casual sex is fine! I recognize why people do it! However, even if it's with some elusive and mysterious stranger, I believe there should be care and consideration in intimacy. Because when sex becomes just another transaction, another swipe, another autoplay loop, we lose something essential: not just in our relationships but in ourselves.

And in that loss, there is something monstrous.