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Hardworking Americans keep busy during the government shutdown driving up smut traffic

You can make your own Yank joke here

NSFW links Recent statistics indicate that not is only the US government shutdown lengthening, so too is the amount of time spent in the Washington DC area on, ahem, adult pursuits.

Montreal-based smut purveyor PornHub has published its (very, very NSFW) findings into the impact the shutdown is having on the voyeuristic – and otherwise – antics of inhabitants in the Washington DC area.

The answer is that there has been a noticeable uptick in site traffic and also a shift in the hours when viewers were streaming the stuff. The smut flinger, however, stopped short of suggesting the furloughed federal workers were to blame. To do so, you'd need to identify the individuals seeking videos of a specialist nature, and thus far it is the Brits who are aiming to get their hands dirty with personal data.

Overall, hourly traffic over the whole of the US has increased by 5.94 per cent during 7-11 January when compared to data prior to the shutdown. Washington DC saw its traffic jump by 6.32 per cent.

DC inhabitants seem to be spending more time in bed in the morning, with traffic actually dropping by 3.1 per cent at 9am. We can't blame users for sleeping in – the traffic to the site has jumped by as much as 11.9 per cent by 01:00 Eastern Time. No work in the morning? Might as well stay up late taking care of some DIY.

Over the whole of the US, PornHub saw hourly traffic peak at 14.2 per cent above the norm by 3am. Unlike the rest of the country, the DC voyeurs at least take a break for lunch, with traffic unchanged from pre-shutdown levels. Alas, that restraint is not enough to offset the average.

Those responsible for the current US government shutdown can take comfort in the fact that their fellow Americans seem to be keeping themselves occupied during the prolonged furlough. Even if it is the Canadians who are reaping the rewards. ®

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