Parents of Pornhub could pay $120 million to victims who say the site posted videos of their abuse as children
The proposed agreement aims to address two significant class actions that claim the company’s platforms facilitated and benefited from sexual abuse material involving minors.
Pornhub’s parent company is confronting a significant financial settlement related to longstanding allegations concerning sexual abuse material involving minors on its adult content platforms. Aylo, previously referred to as MindGeek, has reached an agreement to pay $120 million to resolve two class action lawsuits that allege the company and its platforms have breached federal laws concerning sex trafficking and child sexual abuse material. The proposed settlement, pending court approval, aims to resolve cases initiated in California and Alabama in 2021.
The lawsuit in California was initiated on behalf of a woman who claimed that her former boyfriend uploaded sexually explicit videos of her to Pornhub when she was 16 years old. Susman Godfrey alleges that attorneys have accused MindGeek of being aware that it was profiting from material featuring individuals who were minors at the time the content was produced.
The Alabama case involved claims from two women who stated they were trafficked as minors. As stated in the original federal complaint, one plaintiff claimed that she was drugged and raped at the age of 16, and that video footage of the assault was subsequently shared on platforms operated by MindGeek. The complaint further alleged that the individual involved took part in Pornhub’s Modelhub program and received revenue associated with the content. Those claims are still allegations, and the settlement does not imply any determination of liability.
The case’s scope extends well beyond the plaintiffs identified by name. As per a federal class certification order, the certified class includes, “All individuals who were under the age of 18 when they appeared in a video or image that has been made accessible for viewing on any website owned or operated by Defendants at any time from February 12, 2011, to the present.” The class notice subsequently set December 6, 2024, as the deadline for members wishing to opt out of the litigation.
Aylo is anticipated to finance the settlement with an initial payment of $25 million in 2026, succeeded by six annual installments. The company stated that the agreement “resolves the matter with no admission of liability or wrongdoing by Aylo and remains subject to court approval.”
Money constitutes just one aspect of the proposed deal. Aylo also agreed to content safety measures that include checking that performers in uploaded material are adults, using both human and automated moderation before content is published, and notifying the relevant authorities about suspected child sexual abuse material. Aylo asserts that it has already integrated many of those safeguards into its operations.
The company has implemented significant changes to its policies recently. In 2025, Aylo reached a separate settlement with the Federal Trade Commission and the state of Utah concerning allegations related to child sexual abuse material and nonconsensual content. The agreement necessitated further safeguards and incorporated a payment of $5 million to Utah.
In March 2023, Ethical Capital Partners acquired MindGeek, which subsequently rebranded itself as Aylo in August of the same year. Ethical Capital Partners stated that the rebrand signifies a renewed emphasis on trust, safety, and corporate transparency.
Aylo has consistently upheld the safety systems currently in operation across its platforms. In a statement given to 404 Media, management expressed, “Over the years, we have implemented strong measures to safeguard our platform from misuse. “Only verified content creators are permitted to publish on our platform. Each upload undergoes a thorough process involving both advanced technological tools and human review by trained moderators prior to going live. This ensures compliance with our Terms of Service, Community Guidelines, and related Policies,” stated Aylo management. “Numerous commitments outlined in this settlement align with practices we currently implement. Trust and safety must be a fundamental focus for all online platforms, and it is our collective duty to ensure a safer online environment. Our trust and safety and engineering teams collaborate daily with law enforcement, advocacy groups, and various stakeholders to combat online abuse and ensure accountability for those responsible.
If the court approves, the $120 million settlement would resolve two major class actions against Aylo and require the company to keep reviewing content about age, consent, and potential abuse before it is published on its platforms.
