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Aylo, the parent company of the popular adult website Pornhub, has announced significant updates to its co-performer tagging and identity verification protocols for content creators. These updates, set to take effect on September 3, 2024, are aimed at enhancing the proof of consent and verification processes for all performers featured in uploaded content.
Key Changes to Verification and Consent Requirements
Under the new policies, all performers and co-performers must provide identification and proof of consent for any scene or video uploaded to the platform. This includes the submission of a release form for any co-performer who does not already have one on file. The verification process can be completed using a digitally signed eSignature, and failure to provide the necessary documentation could delay the publication of new videos and potentially affect monthly payouts.
Since January 2024, Pornhub has required both performers in a scene to submit identification and performer releases. The latest updates further strengthen these requirements by mandating that when uploading a new video featuring a co-performer who only has ID approval, the uploader must provide a release form before the content can be published.
Performers can manage these requirements through their model dashboard by navigating to the co-performer settings tab. From there, creators can filter through their co-performers and upload any missing consent forms.
Two-Step Verification Process
Pornhub has introduced two options for the co-performer verification process:
- Upload Release Forms: Performers can download release form templates, have them signed, and then upload the documents for review by Pornhub’s trust and safety team.
- eSignature Verification: Performers can send an eSignature link to their co-performers, who will verify their government ID, perform a live facial scan, and digitally sign the release form. This process can be completed via email.
Overhauled Co-Performer Tagging System
In addition to the updated verification protocols, Pornhub is revamping its co-performer tagging system. Soon, content creators will be able to send collaboration requests to other models featured in their videos, ensuring that all parties confirm their consent before publication. This feature will be available to all verified members of the model program and will appear in the account settings to facilitate collaboration and consent tracking.
According to a Pornhub blog post, “Collaboration requests must be accepted by the other party to confirm their consent,” ensuring that all involved performers are fully aware and in agreement with their participation in the content.
Responding to Criticism and Enhancing Trust
These new policies come as a direct response to criticism from anti-pornography groups, such as the controversial Sound Investigations, which has accused Pornhub of not doing enough to protect its content creators. Sound Investigations, a spin-off of the far-right Project Veritas, has claimed that Pornhub’s previous policies allowed for what they termed a “predator loophole” by not verifying the identity of performers who choose not to show their faces in videos.
The pressure from these accusations led 26 Republican attorneys general to send a joint letter to Aylo, asking the company to address this so-called loophole. However, Aylo had already been working on these updates independently of these external pressures.
In March 2024, during a virtual press event hosted by Aylo, the company and its ownership group, the Ottawa-based private equity firm Ethical Capital Partners (ECP), addressed these concerns. Solomon Friedman, a partner at ECP and vice president of compliance, clarified that all performers, including those who choose not to show their faces, undergo the same level of moderation and verification as those who do. This response underscores Aylo’s commitment to maintaining rigorous standards for performer safety and content authenticity.