Aylo, Pornhub’s Parent Company, Reaches $5 Million Settlement Over Content Moderation and Data Security

September 3, 2025 – Washington, D.C. – Aylo, the company formerly known as Mindgeek and the parent association of Pornhub, will pay a $5 million settlement to the Federal trade Commission (FTC) and the state of Utah. This resolution stems from accusations that the business knowingly benefited from the distribution of illegal content, including Child Sexual Abuse Material (CSAM), and Nonconsensual Intimate Images (NCII), alongside alleged failures in protecting user data.

The Initial Scrutiny and Content Moderation Shifts

The legal challenges follow a 2020 New York Times exposé that detailed meaningful shortcomings in Pornhub’s content moderation practices. This report highlighted the platform’s inability to effectively prevent and remove illegal and exploitative materials. Afterward, financial pressure from major credit card companies-visa and Mastercard-forced aylo to implement verification procedures to confirm the age of performers and obtain proof of thier consent for content appearing on the site.

allegations of Continued Illegal Content and Data Mismanagement

Despite these changes, the FTC and Utah authorities contend that Aylo continued to host illicit content. Furthermore, regulators allege the company irresponsibly managed sensitive user data. Specifically, the complaint alleges that Aylo failed to adequately disclose its practices regarding data obtained from third-party identity verification services.

Data Security Concerns

The FTC asserts that Aylo acquired and retained personal information from performers-including Social Security numbers, addresses, and birthdates-without clearly

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Pornhub’s Owner Settles $5M with FTC for Neglecting to Block Abusive Content

The FTC’s Crackdown on online Adult Content Platforms

The Federal Trade commission (FTC) has secured a $5.1 million settlement with Aylo, the parent company of Pornhub, resolving allegations of failing to adequately protect users – particularly children – from abusive and non-consensual content. This landmark case highlights a growing scrutiny of adult entertainment websites and their responsibilities regarding content moderation, user safety, and adherence to online safety regulations. The settlement, announced in late August 2024, underscores the FTC’s commitment to holding platforms accountable for harmful practices. This isn’t just about Pornhub’s legal issues; it’s a signal to the entire industry.

Details of the FTC Complaint & Settlement

The FTC’s complaint centered around several key violations:

Failure to Verify User Age: Aylo allegedly didn’t implement robust age verification measures, allowing minors access to explicit material. This directly violates the Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA) and exposes vulnerable individuals to harmful content.

Insufficient Content Moderation: The FTC claimed Aylo failed to adequately monitor and remove non-consensual pornography, revenge porn, and content depicting sexual assault. This created a platform for abuse and exploitation.

Data Security Concerns: The complaint also raised concerns about Aylo’s data security practices, possibly exposing user facts to risk. this ties into broader discussions around data privacy and online security.

Misleading Privacy Practices: Allegations included misleading users about how their data was collected, used, and protected.

The $5.1 million settlement requires Aylo to:

1. Pay $3.5 million in monetary penalties.
2. Implement a comprehensive content moderation system to identify and remove illegal and abusive content.
3. Enhance age verification processes.
4. Improve data security measures.
5. Undergo self-reliant audits for the next 20 years to ensure compliance.

The Rise of Non-Consensual Intimate Imagery (NCII) & Its Impact

The case shines a spotlight on the pervasive issue of Non-Consensual Intimate Imagery (NCII). NCII, often referred to as revenge porn, is the sharing of sexually explicit images or videos without the consent of the individuals depicted. Platforms like Pornhub have historically struggled to effectively address this problem, leading to significant harm for victims.

Emotional Distress: Victims of NCII often experience severe emotional distress, anxiety, and depression.

Reputational damage: The unauthorized sharing of intimate images can cause significant reputational damage, impacting personal and professional lives.

Legal Ramifications: While laws addressing NCII are evolving, victims often face challenges in seeking legal recourse.

The Role of Platforms: The debate continues regarding the duty of platforms to proactively remove NCII and prevent its re-upload. The FTC settlement aims to force Aylo to take a more active role.

Content Moderation Challenges in the Adult Entertainment Industry

Moderating content on adult websites presents unique challenges:

Volume of Uploads: The sheer volume of content uploaded daily makes manual review impractical.

Evolving Tactics: Individuals seeking to share illegal content constantly develop new tactics to evade detection.

Defining “Non-Consensual”: Determining whether content is truly non-consensual can be complex, requiring careful consideration of context and evidence.

AI & Automated Tools: While artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) are increasingly used for content moderation, they are not foolproof and can generate false positives or miss subtle forms of abuse. The settlement pushes for more effective implementation of these technologies.

Legal Gray Areas: The legality of certain types of content can vary depending on jurisdiction, adding another layer of complexity.

Increased Regulatory Pressure: Expect to see more regulations aimed at holding platforms accountable for harmful content.

Investment in Content Moderation: Platforms will need to invest significantly in content moderation technologies and personnel.

Focus on User reporting: Effective user reporting mechanisms will become increasingly critically important.

Transparency & Accountability: Platforms will be expected to be more transparent about their content moderation policies and practices.

The Future of Section 230: the debate surrounding Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act – which provides immunity to platforms from liability for user-generated content – is highly likely to intensify.

Practical Tips for Users & Victims

For Users:

Strong passwords: Use strong, unique passwords for all online accounts.

Privacy Settings: Review and adjust privacy settings on all platforms.

Be Mindful of Sharing: Think carefully before sharing intimate images or videos online.

report Abuse: Report any abusive or illegal content you encounter.

For Victims of NCII:

Document Everything: Save screenshots and any other evidence of the unauthorized sharing.

Report to Platforms: Report the content to the platform where it was shared.

Legal Assistance: Seek legal advice from an attorney specializing in NCII.

Support Resources: Reach out to support organizations like Woodhull Freedom Foundation or Cyber Civil Rights Initiative.

* Remove Content: Utilize removal services to attempt to have the content removed from the internet.

Case Study: The Evolution of NCII Legislation

Several states have enacted laws specifically addressing NCII. For example, California penal Code Section 647(j)(4) makes it a crime to intentionally distribute an image of another person’s intimate body parts without their consent. Texas also has similar legislation. These laws demonstrate a growing recognition of the harm caused by NCII and a commitment to protecting victims. However, enforcement remains a challenge, and federal legislation is needed to create a more consistent and comprehensive legal framework. The FTC settlement with Aylo adds another layer of pressure for platforms to proactively address this issue,even in the absence of uniform legislation.

The Role of Technology in Combating Abuse

Hashing technology is becoming increasingly important in the fight against NCII. Hashing involves creating a unique digital fingerprint of an image or video. Platforms can then share these hashes with each other, allowing them to quickly identify and remove identical content across multiple sites. This proactive approach can significantly reduce the spread of NCII. The FTC settlement encourages Aylo to adopt and implement hashing technology as part of its content moderation system. Moreover,advancements in AI-powered image recognition are helping to identify potentially abusive content more effectively. Though,these technologies are not perfect and require ongoing refinement.