The leading pornographic website, Pornhub has finally taken action against illegal content on its platform by removing all content from non-verified users. The adult website had faced fierce backlash for hosting videos of child sexual assaults and exploitations. The New York Times investigation piece published earlier this month said the site is "infested with rape videos."
Following this backlash, Pornhub announced last week that it would only allow uploads from verified users only. Now, the pornographic website has suspended all videos that haven't been uploaded by existing partners or members of its Model program. Pornhub will review the suspended content early next year.
The suspended content now displays a message that it has "been flagged for verification in accordance with our trust and safety policy."
In addition to this, Pornhub has taken a dig at social media giants like Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, Snapchat, Twitter as well as YouTube.
"As part of our policy to ban unverified uploaders, we have now also suspended all previously uploaded content that was not created by content partners or members of the Model Program. This means every piece of Pornhub content is from verified uploaders, a requirement that platforms like Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, Snapchat and Twitter have yet to institute," Pornhub wrote in a statement.
Forcing Pornhub to do the right thing?
Pornhub's announcement comes after Visa and Mastercard's investigation into their business relations with the adult content platform on concerns that the site could be hosting illegal content.
"Because it's impossible to be sure whether a youth in a video is 14 or 18, neither Pornhub nor anyone else has a clear idea of how much content is illegal," NYT columnist Nicholas Kristof alleged, adding that a 15-year-old girl who went missing in Florida appeared in "58 sex videos" on Pornhub before they were removed.
With major credit card companies together suspending cooperation with Pornhub, demanding a more aggressive approach, the site was pressured into the biggest crackdown yet.
