Kink.com Founder Peter Acworth Fields Barrage of Questions in Reddit Session

SAN FRANCISCO — Kink.com founder Peter Acworth opened the doors of his fetish empire on Thursday, submitting himself to social news site Reddit for an AMA ("Ask Me Anything") session. 

Over the course of several hours, Acworth fielded questions from both fetish newbies and long-time Kink fans, touching on everything from his own sexual history and the 50 Shades of Grey phenomenon, to his opposition to Los Angeles' Measure B.

"I was flattered to be asked to do an AMA,” Acworth said. “And it seemed a way to help demystify not only BDSM, but also our company."

Acworth was approached by Reddit about doing a special "I am a …. " (Ask Me Anything) session in early October. Previous IAMA guests have included President Obama, comedian Louis C.K., "This American Life" creator Ira Glass and TV host Larry King. Billed as the front page of the Internet, Reddit was one of the leading opponents of the Stop Online Piracy Act (SOPA) earlier this year. Reddit boasts over two billion page views a month.

While the session attracted both long-time porn consumers and the kink-curious, it also illuminated many aspects of Kink.com's internal operations and should prove interesting reading to industry insiders. Acworth began the session talking about his first site, HogTied.com — which he built for less than $700 in 1998 while in a Ph.D. program at Columbia Business School — before moving onto discuss both his successes and his missteps.

Acworth responded to questions with his trademark frankness, with topics ranging from his ventures into unusual niches (water bondage) to his most unusual expenses (a $50K spinning "cyclorack" sex machine). Other subjects included piracy, the future of Kink.com and Kink's commitment to an ethical and responsible production environment.

The session generated thousands of comments, and tens of thousands of participants. While Acworth was challenged at points, the response on Reddit was overwhelmingly positive. One "redditor" called it one of the most honest AMAs he’d ever seen.

“Peter Acworth for President!” wrote another. The motion was immediately seconded — by ninety others.

The entire session can be seen here.

Related:  

Copyright © 2024 Adnet Media. All Rights Reserved. XBIZ is a trademark of Adnet Media.
Reproduction in whole or in part in any form or medium without express written permission is prohibited.

More News

Braindance Unveils '6DOF' VR Tech

Interactive virtual reality platform Braindance has debuted its new Six Degrees of Freedom (6DOF) VR technology.

Kiiroo, Pineapple Support Launch 'Empower Hour' Series on FeelHubX YouTube Channel

Kiiroo and Pineapple Support have teamed up to launch the “Empower Hour” series on the FeelHubX YouTube channel.

Kansas Law Firm Deploys Religion, Bunk Science While Recruiting Plaintiffs Under AV Law

Kansas-based personal injury law firm Mann Wyatt Tanksley is promoting debunked scientific theories and leveraging religious affiliation against the industry while it seeks potential plaintiffs for lawsuits against adult companies under the state’s age verification law.

UK Tech Secretary Lists Age Verification Among OSA Priorities

Peter Kyle, the U.K.’s Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, on Wednesday made public a draft version of his priorities for implementing the Online Safety Act (OSA), including age verification.

AEBN Publishes Popular Seraches by Country for September, October

AEBN has released its list of popular searches from its straight and gay theaters in all 50 states and the District of Columbia.

Avery Jane Featured on 'Adult Time Podcast'

Avery Jane is the latest guest on the “Adult Time Podcast,” hosted by studio CCO Bree Mills.

FSC: Kansas Law Firm Threatens Adult Site Over Age Verification

The Free Speech Coalition (FSC) has been notified that Kansas law firm Mann Wyatt Tanksley has sent a letter threatening an adult website with a lawsuit for breaking the state's age verification law.

10th Circuit Rejects Final FSC Appeal in Utah AV Case

The United States Court of Appeals for the 10th Circuit on Monday rejected a motion by Free Speech Coalition (FSC) requesting that the full court rehear its appeal in Free Speech Coalition v. Anderson, the industry trade association’s challenge to Utah’s age verification law.

Trump Nominates Project 2025 Contributor, Section 230 Foe to Chair FCC

President-elect Donald Trump has nominated, as his pick to head the Federal Communications Commission, Brendan Carr — an author of Project 2025 who has called for gutting Section 230 protections.

Streamate's Elevate Partners With Miss Mei on Decriminalization Initiative

Streamate’s Elevate initiative is debuting a November collaboration with creator and community advocate Miss Mei that will highlight the modern criminalization of sex work.

Show More