Pornhub is acquired by Canadian private equity firm Ethical Capital Partners ... trends now
Pornhub's owners are set to cash in with the sale of parent company MindGeek to Canadian private equity firm Ethical Capital Partners for an undisclosed amount.
The firm, which claims to specialize in tech opportunities that 'require ethical leadership', announced the acquisition on its website yesterday.
ECP say they plan to use their experience to build MindGeek while fighting illegal online content and ensuring ethical practices online.
The sales comes a day after the release of a hard-hitting Netflix documentary Money Shot: The Pornhub Story, which focuses on trafficking and exploitation in the industry.
MindGeek, who own a large portfolio of porn websites, said that with ECP's support it will 'further its research and adoption of the latest and best available online safety protocols to ensure that it remains a world-class leader in trust and safety and its platforms are inclusive, sex positive spaces for adults.'
Performers, journalists and alleged victims spoke candidly on the new Netflix documentary
Former Chief Executive Officer Feras Antoon (left) and former Chief Operating Officer David Tassillo (right), who resigned from MindGeek, the company best known for operating Pornhub
Attention focused on Pornhub's practices after journalist Nicholas Kristof published a column in the New York Times entitled "The Children on Pornhub", detailing some of the survivor stories of young people whose sexual abuse had been uploaded to the website.
'[The] site is infested with rape videos. It monetizes child rapes, revenge pornography, spy cam videos of women showering, racist and misogynist content, and footage of women being asphyxiated in plastic bags,' Kristof wrote.
Pornhub subsequently banned uploads from unverified users.
Mastercard and Visa cut their services to Pornhub in light of the report.
Its top executives also resigned in 2022 after MindGeek was accused of hosting videos showing nonconsensual and underage sex.
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