1143: Laila Mickelwait | Exposing Pornhub's Dark Trafficking Empire
Apr 22, 2025
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Laila Mickelwait, an author and activist, is on a mission to expose the dark side of Pornhub and its connection to sex trafficking. She shares shocking revelations about how the platform profited from illegal content with minimal oversight. Laila discusses her successful tactics, such as pressuring credit card companies, which helped remove 80% of questionable content. With compelling stories, she emphasizes the urgent need for accountability and reform in the adult industry to protect vulnerable individuals from exploitation.
Pornhub has profited from illegal content for over a decade while employing minimal moderation and requiring excessive flags for review.
Sex trafficking is defined by deception or coercion, with all commercial exploitation of minors automatically constituting trafficking regardless of consent.
Laila Micklewait successfully pressured credit card companies to sever ties with Pornhub, resulting in an overnight removal of 80% of its content.
Implementing third-party age and consent verification in adult content is essential for preventing exploitation while ensuring user privacy.
Deep dives
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Controversy Surrounding Online Adult Content
The episode delves into the troubling aspects of the online porn industry, particularly focusing on platforms such as Pornhub where exploitation and trafficking issues are prevalent. Many individuals featured in videos may not have consented to or been compensated for their participation, revealing a darker reality behind the user-generated content. These issues are compounded by societal discomfort in addressing the negative impacts of pervasive adult content, which is often dismissed or overlooked in discussions about pornography. The host highlights the significance of bringing these uncomfortable topics into public discourse to promote awareness and accountability.
Layla Micklewaite's Advocacy Against Trafficking
Layla Micklewaite's mission to combat sex trafficking on platforms like Pornhub stems from her extensive background in fighting against human trafficking. Her journey began when she recognized a disturbing trend linking the online porn industry to real-life trafficking and exploitation cases. A pivotal moment in her advocacy was the harrowing story of a missing girl who was found featured in multiple exploitation videos on Pornhub, highlighting the severity of the issue. This revelation galvanized her efforts to expose and hold accountable those who profit from the exploitation of vulnerable individuals.
The Scale and Reality of Online Exploitation
The podcast reveals startling statistics concerning the percentage of exploited minors and individuals in abusive situations on pornographic platforms. It is estimated that around 80% of content on sites like Pornhub is user-generated, with inadequate verification of consent and legality. Reports indicate that a shocking number of videos are linked to child sexual abuse, raising serious concerns about the safety and wellbeing of individuals represented in these videos. Layla emphasizes the urgent necessity for stricter regulations and accountability within the industry to protect victims and prevent future exploitation.
Complicity and Responsibility in the Industry
Micklewaite argues that executives and owners of pornographic sites bear significant responsibility for the exploitation occurring within their platforms. Evidence suggests that they were aware of the presence of illegal content but chose to prioritize profit over safeguarding vulnerable individuals. The podcast discusses the importance of holding executives accountable for their decisions and the systemic failures that allow these practices to continue. Layla believes that by exposing these truths, there can be a greater push for legislative reforms and societal shifts in addressing the complexities of consent and exploitation in pornography.
Challenges Faced by Activists
Activists like Micklewaite face numerous challenges while bringing critical issues about exploitation and trafficking to light, often enduring threats and intimidation tactics from those invested in maintaining the status quo. Such threats underscore the societal discomfort surrounding these topics, leading to stigmatization of those who speak out against the industry. Despite these risks, activists remain resolute in their commitment to justice and the safety of others, channeling their efforts to raise awareness and push for accountability. Their persistence demonstrates a powerful vision for change within the industry and beyond.
The Role of Financial Institutions
Financial institutions, such as credit card companies, play a crucial role in addressing the trafficking and exploitation rampant on adult sites by choosing who they do business with. Micklewaite highlights how many of these companies have historically enabled such platforms by providing payment processing and monetizing abusive content. This complicity can be addressed through responsible policies that require age and consent verification before enabling transactions. A significant part of the advocacy work involves pressuring these financial institutions to take a stand against exploitation and implement safeguards that could transform the industry.
Big porn sites enabled trafficking for profit. Here, Takedown author Laila Mickelwait shares how her fight against Pornhub led to industry-wide reform.
For over a decade, internet porn content provider Pornhub knowingly profited from illegal content with minimal moderation (10 staff per shift reviewing 700+ videos each) while requiring 15+ flags before review and tracking profits from questionable categories.
Sex trafficking includes deception/coercion in monetized sexual acts. For minors, any commercial sexual exploitation automatically constitutes trafficking regardless of consent.
Financial pressure proved most effective in Laila Mickelwait's crusade against Porhub's shady practices — credit card companies cutting ties forced the company to remove 80% of content overnight, demonstrating how targeting enablers can be as effective as targeting perpetrators.
Third-party age and consent verification for everyone in every video would prevent most exploitation while protecting privacy.
Strategic activism works — Laila succeeded by gathering evidence, building coalitions with victims and experts, and applying targeted pressure despite threats and harassment. Her example shows that determined individuals can challenge harmful systems by identifying pressure points and maintaining focus on accountability.
