Porpornhub, the global marketplace for explicit adult videos online, launched 15 years ago and since has transformed pornography from an obscure industry into an accessible supermarket with millions of videos that run the gamut from explicit to forbidden content. Sex workers who market their videos or interactive services through this global marketplace may find Porpornhub particularly helpful as an empowering force.
But Pornhub can also be harmful, particularly for women whose images are used on it to entrap and exploit them. Kristof interviewed some of these victims such as Serena Fleites who sent nude pictures to someone she liked when she was 14; these videos eventually ended up on Pornhub where they were regularly uploaded; Serena now struggles with anxiety and suicidal thoughts due to this experience.
After being called out by The New York Times piece, Pornhub and MindGeek implemented several changes that will make it harder for users to upload or download illegal material and spread it through its platform. With its new verification system requiring users to prove they are adults and no longer permitting the download of videos depicting rape or child molestation; additionally the company blocked access from Texas due to strict age verification laws; while expanding their moderation team.
Friedman and his fellow investors from Ethical Capital Partners decided to purchase Pornhub as they believe that it can serve as an agent of change online by being Internet safe, worker-centric, and transparent to its audience.