TikTok Is Obsessed With A New App Founded By A Stanford Dropout Revolutionizing Porn For Women
In 2019, Caroline Spiegel was left with a choice: to continue her studies as a senior at Stanford University or to drop out to pursue her tech startup full time.
She decided to leave behind the Ivy League campus to dedicate her time and energy to Quinn, an erotic audio app that is revolutionizing the way women consume pornographic content — without visuals.
Spiegel — sister of Snapchat CEO Evan Spiegel — explained during an interview with Narcity that Quinn came to be after she struggled with her own libido while overcoming her eating disorder.
"I say sometimes that I fell in love with this problem, rather than one particular solution. And I feel like that was the best thing, I was committed to finding a new way for not only women but for everyone to experience erotic content. And so that has been my guiding light," she said.
When you open the Quinn app, it looks more like Spotify than the homepage of an adult site. You can search audios by the voices of specific creators or explore categories like "accents," "aftercare," "degradation" and "enemies to lovers."
There is a streamlined discover page where you can dive into new topics, or you can search for curated playlists like "Evening Self Care" or "Dirty Talk 101."
Popular creators rack up thousands of plays, talking users through a plethora of risqué scenarios in tones that range from whispers to reminiscent of feral animals.
Quinn's CEO believes that what sets the app apart from other platforms is the user's ability to form a deeper connection with the content once the nuances of visual pornography are removed.
"Sometimes when you're watching or even reading porn, it's hard to feel that energy and intensity. [...] The hottest part of sex is when you just kind of lose control with your partner and you just feel uninhibited. I feel like Quinn can capture that feeling. That's the magic in a bottle that I think makes it such an erotic experience."
Quinn has a dedicated fan base, many of whom are vocal with their support on platforms like TikTok, where some of the content creators have amassed large followings.
@tranganhdong nobody talk to me while I have my @Quinn headphones on #fyp #foryou #quinnapp #gifted #tranganhdong #quinnfluencer
Comedic videos from fans illustrate the passion they share for this new way of experiencing spicy content.
Some people also love knowing that the stories they're consuming were created ethically.
"It's hard to have a nuanced conversation anywhere on the internet, particularly about porn. People can be extremely emotional and connected to the conversation, and for good reasons," Spiegel said.
"70% of women reported not watching pornography in the last year, so you have this really lopsided dynamic in our population, where men are really consuming a lot of these kind of violent, really intense, physical representations of women and doing things to their bodies. And then you have women engaging less of that type of content," she concluded.
It is her hope that by continuing to grow and market to an underrepresented demographic, Quinn can help close that pleasure gap.
This interview has been condensed and edited for clarity.
