Florida, September 5: The US Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has imposed a USD 5 million penalty and strict 10-year oversight on Aylo, the parent company of Pornhub (formerly known as MindGeek), to settle allegations that it hosted and profited from child sexual abuse material (CSAM) and nonconsensual material (NCM). The settlement marks one of the most sweeping US enforcement actions against a global adult entertainment giant.

The FTC, alongside the Utah Attorney General, accused Aylo of misleading users by claiming it had a “zero tolerance” policy for abusive content, while evidence showed the company allowed—and in some cases even promoted—videos and playlists containing CSAM. Regulators further found that Pornhub failed to verify performers’ ages and consent, neglected to remove harmful content, and mishandled sensitive personal data, including Social Security numbers and IDs. Pornhub Plans To Block Its Adult Entertainment Services to 5 More States in US Over New Age Verification Laws.

Under the settlement, Aylo must implement a comprehensive compliance program requiring:

  • Age and consent verification systems for all content.

  • Advanced technology to detect and block CSAM.

  • Mandatory removal of unverifiable content.

  • Independent third-party compliance reviews of its operations for the next decade.

  • A privacy and data security overhaul to safeguard performers’ personal information.

Christopher Mufarrige, director of the FTC’s Bureau of Consumer Protection, said Pornhub’s operators “turned a blind eye to the proliferation of videos depicting the sexual abuse of children so it could profit off this exploitation.” Pornhub To Pull Out of Florida on January 1, 2025, Over Age Verification Law.

Pornhub’s practices came under scrutiny in 2020, after a New York Times investigation revealed the platform, which then allowed unverified uploads, was rife with videos of rape and child abuse. Payment giants Visa, Mastercard, and Discover subsequently blocked transactions on the site. Though Pornhub responded by restricting uploads to verified users, critics argued its safety measures were inadequate.

Aylo claimed in a statement that most of the FTC’s concerns predated 2020 and insisted its recent policies “place us among the safest platforms on the internet.” The FTC, however, disputed this, noting that some allegations remain ongoing.

The settlement also comes amid a wave of state-level age verification laws for porn sites, pioneered by Utah in 2023. Pornhub responded by blocking access to Utah users, but the enforcement battle over online adult content continues to expand nationwide.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Sep 05, 2025 11:29 AM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).