AGs take porn site to task over 'loophole' that could victimize children

CONCORD - The state's Attorney Generals Office has joined a coalition of 26 state Attorneys General expressing concerns to the online adult entertainment website Pornhub's parent company Aylo over content featuring underaged children.

"Reports that PornHub knew it had children or victims of human trafficking on its site are beyond concerning. Any entity that suspects its practices may be harming children must take immediate action to stop that harm," said Attorney General John M. Formella. "We must have zero tolerance for any online actor who would exploit children. I expect to hear exactly how this company is taking action to ensure it is not putting profits over the safety of minors. We at the New Hampshire Department of Justice remain steadfast in our commitment to hold accountable those who would prey on and victimize children."

As recently reported, an employee for the company was captured on video by an undercover journalist discussing Pornhub's moderation practices where he admitted a "loophole." When uploading content to the site, users are required to submit a photo ID, but are not required to show his or her face in the material uploaded. The employee admitted there is no way to confirm the person uploading the photo ID is the same person in the content. He replied, "Of course," when asked if rapists and human traffickers use this loophole to upload content of their victims to make money.

The AGs' letter states, "As you are aware, various federal and state laws forbid the creation and distribution of Child Sexual Abuse Material. We are concerned that Aylo and its subsidiary Pornhub, and possibly other subsidiaries, may be proliferating the production and dissemination of (such material) through the "loophole" identified by your employee. Please provide us with an explanation of this "loophole;" whether Aylo and its subsidiaries do, in fact, permit content creators and performers to obscure their faces in uploaded content; and, if so, whether Aylo is taking measures to change this policy to ensure that no children or other victims are being abused for profit on any of its platforms."