(Envato)

Pornhub is offering free premium accounts to every one of its billions of users around the world, in a bid to encourage people to stay home during the coronavirus lockdown.

Pornhub’s vice president Corey Price said in press release: “With nearly one billion people in lockdown across the world because of the coronavirus pandemic, it’s important that we lend a hand and provide them with an enjoyable way to pass the time.

“We hope by expanding our offer of free Pornhub Premium worldwide, people have an extra incentive to stay home and flatten the curve.”

The company is donating 50,000 face masks, split between first responders, firefighters and Mount Sinai South Nassau hospital in New York City.

It is also donating €50,000 to various European organisations to purchase additional masks and medical equipment and $25,000 to the Sex Workers Outreach Project (SWOP), to support sex workers impacted by COVID-19.

To help their models who have been financially impacted by coronavirus, Pornhub is giving them 100 per cent of their video sales after the processing fee.

Price added: “When a global human crisis happens, it is up to everyone to work together to help support the community. We have always been a global community, hosting over 130,000 models from every corner of the earth.

“We stand by our performers and models and we will continue working on other projects to assist the community during this challenging time.”

The 30-day offer has its own page on the Pornhub site, titled Stayhomehub, which asks users to “stay home to help flatten the coronavirus curve by self-isolating with FREE Premium!”

Those who want to access their free premium account must agree to one of two pledges: “I agree to self-isolate and enjoy Premium videos for FREE” or “I can’t self-isolate, but I promise I will regularly wash my hands and maintain social distance”.

While a little self-pleasure never hurt anyone, there has been misinformation circulating online that masturbation could boost the immune system and prevent coronavirus.

Gail Saltz, an associate professor in psychiatry at the New York-Presbyterian Hospital Weill-Cornell School of Medicine, told Health.com: “To my knowledge, no study says specifically that masturbation boosts the immune system in a way that prevents or helps fight off infection.”