Pornhub Just Wiped Out Most Of Its Content

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Pornhub is removing 100% of all videos uploaded to its site by unverified users as part of a platform “clean up.”

The crackdown begun after two major payment processors suspended their service.

In total, Pornhub is reported to be removing 10 million videos. The decision stems from a New York Times report that found the site was hosting videos of underage people and videos showing children being assaulted.

Pornhub also announced that only verified users will now have the ability to upload content on its platform, which means official content partners or members of Pornhub’s “Model Program,” which requires age verification to sign up. Until now, Pornhub operated much like YouTube, allowing users to upload their own content and monetize off ad revenue.

“This means every piece of Pornhub content is from verified uploaders, a requirement that platforms like Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, Snapchat, and Twitter have yet to institute,” Pornhub wrote in a blog post this morning. A spokesperson said the verification policy would apply to all sites owned by MindGeek, Pornhub’s parent company. The spokesperson didn’t respond to a follow-up about whether those other sites, which include YouPorn and Redtube, would also remove videos from unverified users.

On Saturday Pornhub counted some 13.5 million videos on its platform. On Monday, only 2.9 million had made the cut.

Following the Times’ report last week, Visa and Mastercard said they would investigate whether the site was hosting illegal content. On Thursday, both companies cut off service, preventing customers from making purchases on Pornhub through two of the most popular payment methods available.