A major lawsuit tied to one of the internet’s largest adult platforms has taken a significant turn and while several claims have been dismissed, the heart of the case remains intact.
The dispute began after a 2020 exposé revealed shocking stories of minors whose explicit images had ended up online without their consent. One of the central figures in that investigation later became a plaintiff in the lawsuit filed in 2021 against MindGeek, the parent company of Pornhub at the time. The complaint accused the company of knowingly profiting from illegal content.
What the Judge Dismissed
In a ruling issued by Judge Wesley Hsu of the Central District of California, the court cut back some of the claims brought forward. Among the allegations dismissed were:
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Trafficking conspiracy under federal law
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Misappropriation of likeness
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Distribution of private intimate material where the platform wasn’t the original poster
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Civil conspiracy
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California state trafficking claims that failed to show the company itself caused or recruited minors for commercial sex acts
These dismissals mark a partial win for the defense, which has argued that the platform cannot be held directly responsible for every instance of user-uploaded content.
What Still Stands
Despite that, the ruling leaves several critical accusations on the table. The judge found enough grounds to allow claims of negligence and violations tied to child sexual abuse material (CSAM) to move forward.
Crucially, the court also ruled that the company could be treated as a beneficiary of sex trafficking, even if it did not directly cause the act. By allegedly earning revenue from such videos, the platform may have “knowingly received financial benefits from the trafficking venture,” the order stated.
What’s Next
Lawyers representing the plaintiffs now have an opportunity to refine their complaint and focus on the surviving claims. This development comes as the platform continues to navigate a storm of legal and reputational challenges.
In 2023, Pornhub’s parent company MindGeek was acquired and rebranded as Aylo, following years of criticism about how it managed user content. The firm has already faced investigations and settlements with government authorities, who accused it of failing to prevent the spread of nonconsensual and exploitative material.
While some parts of the case have been cut, the fight is far from over. With the most serious allegations still standing, the lawsuit continues to pose a major threat to one of the most recognized names in the adult entertainment industry.
