503. One Woman’s War on P*rnhub | Laila Mickelwait
In this episode of The Jordan B. Peterson Podcast, Laila Mickelwait shares her investigation into Pornhub's practices, accusing the platform of profiting from videos featuring child sexual abuse, sex trafficking, and non-consensual content. She details how Pornhub's lack of robust content moderation led to an influx of illegal material, monetized through subscriptions and ad revenue.
The conversation turns to the societal impacts of widespread pornography availability, including potential links to declining birth rates. Mickelwait outlines efforts to hold Pornhub legally and financially accountable through lawsuits, whistleblower information, and pressure on payment processors. Peterson and Mickelwait also discuss possible policy measures like mandatory third-party age verification for user-uploaded content.
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1-Page Summary
Pornhub's Profit-Driven Facilitation of Sexual Exploitation
According to Laila Mickelwait, Pornhub functioned as a crime scene, profiting from videos featuring child sexual abuse, sex trafficking, and non-consensual content. Despite demands for removal, these videos remained online, accruing views. MindGeek, Pornhub's parent company, intentionally kept staffing low to maximize uploads, with only 30 moderators - just 10 on shift at any time - reviewing the massive influx of content.
Pornhub generated revenue through premium subscriptions promising access to illegal content, pay-to-download offerings, and a revenue-sharing model with uploaders. Mickelwait characterizes Pornhub's operations as profit-driven, seemingly complicit in the monetization of illegal sexual exploitation.
The Prevalence of Illegal Content on Pornhub
An investigation by The Sunday Times found over 100 instances of the most severe category of child sexual abuse on Pornhub. With 6.8 million new videos per year, effective moderation was impossible - videos required 15 flags before review, and there was a backlog of 700,000 flagged videos.
Mickelwait criticizes Pornhub's moderation policies, citing a single person reviewing flagged content, lack of sound during reviews, and penalties for reviewing too slowly. She likens this approach to "Russian roulette with real people's lives."
Societal Impacts of Pornography Proliferation
Jordan Peterson addresses how the widespread availability of explicit and violent pornography may desensitize and negatively impact young viewers. Research shows one in eight homepage videos on major sites features sexual violence.
Peterson notes declining birth rates and increased virginity rates in countries like Japan and South Korea, pondering links to online pornography access and relationship fragmentation.
Holding Pornhub Accountable Through Legal and Financial Pressure
While laws like Section 2257 require age verification for studio porn, Mickelwait argues this must extend to user-generated content. She advocates for mandatory third-party verification using technology like biometric ID scanning.
After credit card companies cut ties with Pornhub over illegal content concerns, the site deleted 91% of videos to avoid permanently losing payment processors. Victims are pursuing legal action through lawsuits, aided by whistleblower information, with Mickelwait's book proceeds funding these efforts. A judge also ruled Visa was complicit in Pornhub's crimes.
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Counterarguments
- Pornhub has stated that it has zero tolerance for illegal content and has implemented measures to combat and remove such content.
- MindGeek may argue that the number of moderators is sufficient when combined with automated detection technologies.
- The revenue-sharing model with uploaders is a common practice in the industry and not inherently linked to illegal content.
- The effectiveness of moderation can be subjective, and Pornhub may claim that their policies are in line with industry standards.
- The impact of pornography on society is a complex issue with varying research findings, and some studies suggest that pornography consumption does not have a simple causal relationship with negative societal outcomes.
- The link between pornography and declining birth rates or increased virginity rates is not conclusively established, as these trends can be influenced by a multitude of social, economic, and cultural factors.
- Age verification and biometric ID scanning raise privacy concerns and may be seen as intrusive by some users and civil liberties advocates.
- The deletion of videos following the cut-off from credit card companies could be seen as a proactive step by Pornhub to address concerns and improve their content moderation.
- Legal action and rulings against companies like Visa may be contested on the grounds that payment processors are not directly responsible for the content on platforms they service.
- The use of book proceeds to fund legal efforts could be criticized as a potential conflict of interest if the book's success is tied to the outcome of legal actions.
Actionables
- You can support ethical adult content by subscribing to platforms that enforce strict age verification and consent practices. Look for sites that have transparent moderation policies, partner with sex educators, and actively work with organizations fighting against sexual exploitation. By choosing these platforms, you contribute to a demand for responsibly produced content and help shift the industry standards.
- Educate yourself on the signs of exploitation in digital content and report any suspicious activity to the appropriate authorities. Learn about the red flags, such as signs of coercion or content that doesn't seem consensual. If you come across a video that raises concerns, use the reporting tools provided by the platform or contact organizations like the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children (NCMEC) in the US.
- Encourage open conversations about the impact of explicit content with peers and family members, especially younger ones, to foster critical thinking about media consumption. Discuss the potential psychological effects of exposure to violent or non-consensual content and the importance of respecting consent in all interactions. This can help build a more informed and empathetic community that rejects the normalization of exploitation.
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The business model and practices of Pornhub/MindGeek and their role in enabling and profiting from criminal sexual exploitation
Through the diligent efforts of individuals like Lila, the heinous practices behind Pornhub/MindGeek's business model are being brought to light, highlighting their role in monetizing and complicity in criminal sexual exploitation.
Pornhub/MindGeek dominates the global pornography industry, owning the majority of popular pornographic websites and brands
Pornhub was the largest and most popular porn site in the world in 2020, with 170 million daily visits and over 62 billion visits that year
Pornhub reached staggering heights of popularity as the Pornhub community amassed 170 million daily visits and totaled over 62 billion visits in 2020. Concurrently, MindGeek, Pornhub's parent company, possessed a virtual monopoly over the industry, owning approximately 80% of the world's most favored pornographic sites and brands, functioning as a de facto ruler of the online pornography space.
MindGeek, the parent company of Pornhub, intentionally kept staffing and moderation low to maximize the amount of content, including illegal content, uploaded to their sites
MindGeek seemingly prioritized content volume over moderation integrity. Laila Mickelwait articulated that MindGeek had an intentional policy of employing minimal staffing for content review. In their Cyprus office, merely 30 moderators were tasked with sifting through copious uploads, with just 10 on shift at any given time, indicating an alarming disproportion between content flow and oversight capacity.
Pornhub/MindGeek has profited immensely from monetizing content that included child sexual abuse, sex trafficking, and non-consensual images
Laila Mickelwait characterized Pornhub not as an adult entertainment site but a crime scene, flooded with videos depicting real sexual crimes. This malfeasance was undergirded by a profitable business structure where billions of ad impressions daily translated to vast revenue streams. Pornhub's profit stemmed from multiple sources: premium subscriptions promising ad-free access to all content types, including those depicting rape; the sale of pay-to-download content featuring victims of sexual crimes like the case of a 12-year-old boy in Alabama; and a revenue-sharing model where Pornhub pocketed 35%, leaving 65% for the uploader, regardless of content legality.
Videos containing abuse remained on the site, accruing startling view counts, even after explicit demands for removal by police were placed. Pornhub's scant content moderation workforce, including just one individual dedicated to overseeing videos flagged for severe violations like child sexual abuse and trafficking, starkly underscored the pl ...
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The business model and practices of Pornhub/MindGeek and their role in enabling and profiting from criminal sexual exploitation
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Actionables
- Educate yourself on the ethical implications of content consumption by researching the policies and practices of different platforms, focusing on how they handle user consent and content moderation. This will help you make informed decisions about which services align with your values. For example, you might compare the terms of service of various social media and content platforms to see how they address illegal content and user safety.
- Support organizations that advocate for victims of sexual exploitation by donating or volunteering. Look for reputable nonprofits that work on issues like child safety, human trafficking, and digital rights. By contributing to these causes, you're actively participating in the fight against the exploitation that some platforms may facilitate.
- Use content verification tools and br ...
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The scale and scope of illegal content on Pornhub, including child sexual abuse and sex trafficking
Jordan Peterson and Laila Mickelwait discuss the pervasive distribution of illegal content on Pornhub, expressing serious concerns over the platform's role in facilitating and monetizing heinous criminal activity.
Investigations found hundreds of instances of child sexual abuse material and other illegal content on Pornhub, including the most severe category of abuse
An investigation by the London Sunday Times in 2020 unveiled a deeply troubling presence of illegal videos on Pornhub, featuring children as young as three years old being sexually abused. Highlighting the severity of the issue, the investigation found over 100 instances of category A level child sexual abuse, which is characterized by sadistic acts causing terror and pain in children. The case of a 12-year-old boy in Alabama was emblematic of the distressing material present on the platform. These findings suggest that Pornhub permitted the uploading and monetization of videos depicting sexual exploitation, including those derived from sex trafficking.
The sheer volume of content on Pornhub made it impossible to effectively moderate and verify the legality and consent of all uploaded videos
It has been revealed that Pornhub had over 6.8 million new videos uploaded within a single year, which would take 169 years to watch end-to-end. This staggering volume of content made effective moderation a near-impossibility. Mickelwait criticizes the platform's moderation policies, pointing out the dangerously high threshold for content review—with videos requiring to be flagged 15 times before entering the review queue, and a significant backlog of 706,000 fl ...
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The scale and scope of illegal content on Pornhub, including child sexual abuse and sex trafficking
Additional Materials
Counterarguments
- Pornhub has implemented new measures to combat illegal content, such as requiring users to verify their identity before uploading videos and partnering with organizations to improve moderation.
- The volume of content, while challenging, does not make moderation impossible; it requires more sophisticated and scalable solutions, such as artificial intelligence and machine learning tools, which Pornhub may be investing in.
- The platform has stated that it has zero tolerance for illegal content and has taken steps to remove and report such content to law enforcement authorities.
- The comparison to "YouTube of porn" might be misleading, as YouTube also faces similar challenges with content moderation despite having more resources and technology.
- The claim that there was only one person reviewing flagged content may not accurately represent the current or entire moderation team's size and practices.
- The moderation policies, including the threshold for content review and the backlog of flagged videos, may have been updated in response to critic ...
Actionables
- You can promote digital safety by educating yourself on the signs of illegal and exploitative content to better report it when encountered online. Start by visiting websites of organizations that fight against sexual exploitation and abuse to learn about the indicators of such content. This knowledge will empower you to act responsibly when you come across questionable material, ensuring you can report it accurately to the platform or appropriate authorities.
- Encourage ethical consumption of online content by supporting platforms that implement robust moderation policies and transparency reports. Research and choose to engage with websites that clearly outline their content moderation practices and provide regular transparency reports. By favoring these platforms, you signal to the industry that users value and demand responsible content management.
- Advocate ...
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The personal and societal impacts of the proliferation of pornography, especially on young people
The widespread availability of explicit, violent, and illegal pornography online has desensitized and negatively impacted young viewers
Jordan Peterson addresses the concerning trajectory of pornography consumption online, where users often escalate from vanilla content to graphic and violent material, potentially numbing their emotional responses over time. Laila Mickelwait contributes to this discussion with research published in the British Journal of Criminology, revealing that one in eight videos on the homepages of major porn sites like Pornhub featured sexual violence, including non-consensual and incestuous acts.
Peterson elaborates on how the portrayal and accessibility of pornography have culturally shifted from softcore images in magazines like Playboy to the severe and explicit content found in later publications and on the internet. This progression and easy access could have serious impacts on young individuals' perceptions and behaviors, particularly when they're exposed at a vulnerable age. Peterson warns that this constant exposure might not only desensitize young viewers to violent sexual acts but also distort their perceptions of healthy sexual relationships and consent.
The proliferation of pornography has contributed to declining birth rates, increased virginity rates, and fragmentation of relationships in some countries
Jordan Peterson draws attention to the societal effects of porn ...
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The personal and societal impacts of the proliferation of pornography, especially on young people
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Clarifications
- Jordan Peterson, a Canadian psychologist and author, expresses concerns about the impact of easily accessible explicit and violent pornography on young people. He discusses how the progression of pornography from softcore to extreme content online may desensitize viewers and distort their perceptions of healthy relationships and consent. Peterson also highlights the societal effects of widespread pornography consumption, linking it to declining birth rates, increased virginity rates, and potential fragmentation of relationships in certain countries.
- Laila Mickelwait's research, published in the British Journal of Criminology, highlights that a significant portion of videos on major porn sites depict sexual violence, including non-consensual and incestuous acts. This research underscores the prevalence of explicit and harmful content easily accessible online, raising concerns about its impact on v ...
Counterarguments
- The correlation between pornography consumption and desensitization is complex and not conclusively proven; some argue that individuals can distinguish between fantasy and reality.
- Research on the impact of pornography is varied, with some studies suggesting that it can have positive effects on sexual knowledge and attitudes when consumed in a healthy manner.
- The claim that one in eight videos on major porn sites feature sexual violence may not account for the full context of the content and could be influenced by the methodology of content analysis.
- The shift in the portrayal and accessibility of pornography could also be seen as a reflection of changing societal attitudes towards sexuality rather than a cause of negative impacts.
- The assertion that pornography distorts perceptions of healthy sexual relationships and consent may not take into account the role of comprehensive sex education in shaping these perceptions.
- The link between pornography and declining birth rates is not definitively established, as there are many other factors that contribute to birth rates, such as economic conditions and changing cultural values.
- Increased virginity rates in certain countries may be influenced by broader social and economic trends, not just the availability of pornography.
- The relationship between pornography consumpt ...
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The legal and regulatory efforts to hold Pornhub/MindGeek accountable and address the broader issue of online sexual exploitation
Public and legal scrutiny intensifies on Pornhub/MindGeek as advocates, financial institutions, and victims take action to combat online sexual exploitation.
Existing laws, such as Section 2257 in the US, require age and consent verification for pornographic content, but these have not been effectively enforced on user-generated porn sites
Laila Mickelwait points out that while the United States has had USC Section 2257 in place since 1988, requiring the verification of age in studio-produced porn, this has not effectively translated to user-generated content online. She highlights a gap in the enforcement of existing laws in the age of digital and user-generated pornography.
Advocates argue that extending these verification requirements to all online pornographic content, including user-generated, could help curb the spread of illegal and non-consensual material
Mickelwait advocates for mandatory third-party age and consent verification for each individual in every user-generated porn image or video on all websites. She argues that technology, like YOTI which matches IDs to faces via biometric scans, could address some of the deficiencies in age verification and consent issues online but is currently underutilized. Mickelwait also suggests that a solution to combat non-consensual image-based abuse and AI-generated pornography is to remove anonymity from content uploaders and those depicted in the content. However, there's resistance from companies to apply these measures as it would create friction in content uploading, reducing the volume of material and potentially affecting business operations.
Financial institutions, such as credit card companies, have been pressured to cut ties with Pornhub and similar sites that fail to enforce adequate content moderation and verification
The campaign by Laila Mickelwait and support from figures like Jordan Peterson has led to significant consequences for Pornhub. After Visa, MasterCard, and Discover cut ties with Pornhub, the site was forced to delete 91% of its content over fears of permanently losing these payment processors. Mickelwait explains that the credit card companies were complicit in monetizing illegal content and received a cut from each transaction. The withdrawal of services by these financial institutions significantly impacted Pornhub's business model, which depended heavily on content volume to drive traffic and ad revenue. Mickelwait also notes that Pornhub has turned to cryptocurrency and bank wires to monetize content since losing major payment processors.
Victims of exploitation on P ...
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The legal and regulatory efforts to hold Pornhub/MindGeek accountable and address the broader issue of online sexual exploitation
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Counterarguments
- The effectiveness of age and consent verification measures may be limited by technological and practical challenges, such as accurately verifying the identity and age of individuals in user-generated content.
- Extending verification requirements to all online pornographic content could raise privacy concerns for consenting adults who wish to upload content anonymously.
- Cutting ties with platforms like Pornhub might push the distribution of illegal content into darker corners of the internet that are harder to monitor and regulate.
- Financial institutions' decisions to cut ties with Pornhub could be seen as a form of censorship or as an overreach into the operations of a legal business based on public pressure rather than legal mandates.
- Legal actions against Pornhub and its executives could set a precedent that impacts other user-generated content platforms and their responsibilities for user-posted content.
- The removal of a significant portion of Pornhub's content following the withdrawal of financial services could be criticized for also removing legal adult content and impacting the livelihood of consenting adult performers.
- The use of cryptocurrency and bank wires as alternative payment methods could be argued as a legitimate adaptation to financial de-platforming, rather than an attempt to circumvent ac ...
Actionables
- You can support ethical adult content by subscribing to platforms that enforce strict age and consent verification. Look for sites that transparently display their verification processes and have a clear record of addressing illegal content. By financially supporting these platforms, you contribute to a market that values ethical standards.
- You can educate yourself on the signs of exploitation and report suspicious content. Many organizations offer free resources to help identify potential exploitation. If you come across content that seems questionable, report it to the platform and, if necessary, to law enforcement or organizations dedicated to combating sexual exploitation.
- You can choose to use payment methods that align with your val ...
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1-Page Summary- The business model and practices of Pornhub/MindGeek and their role in enabling and profiting from criminal sexual exploitation
- The scale and scope of illegal content on Pornhub, including child sexual abuse and sex trafficking
- The personal and societal impacts of the proliferation of pornography, especially on young people
- The legal and regulatory efforts to hold Pornhub/MindGeek accountable and address the broader issue of online sexual exploitation
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