FT News Briefing Introducing 'The Kink Machine: The Hidden Business of Pleasure'
71 snips
Feb 14, 2026 
Stoya, adult performer and writer, reflects on a career shaped by studio systems and the internet. She discusses how tube sites upended DVD-era studios, shifted power and income, and changed performer visibility. Short, candid stories explore the turning points when free streaming turned into big money and opaque ownership.
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Porn's Vast Hidden Power Network
- Online porn is huge and secretly controlled by powerful, opaque actors including billionaires and finance firms.
- Patricia Nilsson and Alex Barker discovered a hidden power structure shaping culture and technology.
Penthouse Lost To A Mystery Buyer
- Kelly Holland ran Penthouse until she lost it to a mystery investor and worried about secretive ownership.
- She viewed the lack of transparency as unhealthy for consumers and performers.
Stoya's Rise From Alternative Work To Studio
- Stoya (Jessica) described her rise from alternative nude sites to contracted studio performer at Digital Playground.
- Her early career shows how studios and internet-era fame intersected before tube sites dominated.
