Pornhub removes a majority of its videos after investigations reveal child abuse

In a blog post on Monday, the website said it had “ taken the most comprehensive precautions in user-generated platform history, ” including preventing unverified uploaders from adding new content, preventing most videos from being downloaded and all previously uploaded content has been removed. not created by Pornhub’s verified content partners or members of its adult artist network.

Due to the changes, the number of videos on the website has decreased from 13.5 million to just under 3 million. In the future, content creators will need to be verified using Pornhub’s process, which involves uploading a photo of themselves with their username.

The Canada-based website poked fun at other social media websites, writing that “every piece of Pornhub content comes from verified uploaders, a requirement that platforms such as Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, Snapchat and Twitter have yet to set.”

“In today’s world, all social media platforms share a responsibility to fight illegal material,” said Pornhub. “Solutions need to be powered by real facts and real experts. We hope we’ve demonstrated our commitment to lead by example.”

Pornhub was the target of a New York Times report earlier this month that led to major credit card companies barring customers from using their credit card to make purchases on the website. Mastercard, Visa, and Discover have all discontinued use of their cards on it.

New York Times columnist Nicholas Kristof described footage on Pornhub’s website of assault on unconscious women and girls, including a naked video of a 14-year-old girl. He wrote that Pornhub allows videos to be downloaded directly from its site, leaving room for content to spread and re-upload to the internet even after it has been removed.

Pornhub denied the allegations, stating that any allegation that the child sexual abuse (CSAM) material on its platform is “irresponsible and downright untrue”.

“Due to the nature of our industry, people’s prejudices about Pornhub’s values ​​and processes often differ from reality – but it is counterproductive to ignore the facts on a topic as serious as CSAM,” Pornhub said in a previous statement. to CNN Business.

“We have no tolerance for CSAM. Pornhub is unequivocally committed to fighting CSAM and has established industry-leading trust and security policies to identify and eradicate illegal material from our community.”

– Jazmin Goodwin of CNN Business contributed to this report.

.Source