Illegal Content: Mastercard, Visa Severe Ties With Pornhub, Users Can’t Make Payments

New Delhi: In a latest development, Pornhub was pulled up for monetizing unlawful content and for which Mastercard and Visa have announced that they would not process payments for it. Also Read – Pornhub Disables Downloads, Bans Uploads From Unidentified Users After Backlash Over Content Practices

According to reports, Mastercard and Visa on Thursday said they have severed ties with Pornhub after confirming the adult website carried illegal content depicting child abuse and sexual violence. Also Read – Major Relief For 410 Hindu Refugees Stranded In Pakistan: Centre Grants Extension in Their Special Visa

However, the payment processor and its rival Visa launched investigations after reports claimed that Pornhub is infested with rape videos and monetizes child rapes. Also Read – Google, Facebook, Microsoft Join Harvard University in Lawsuit Against US Student Visa Rule

After these developments, the major credit card companies are under pressure to block payments to adult websites that cannot ensure the legality of their content. Prior to this, women’s and children’s rights groups had urged the payment processors to bar transactions with porn sites.

After Mastercard took the move, Visa too announced on Twitter that it is suspending Pornhub’s acceptance privileges. “Given the allegations of illegal activity, Visa is suspending Pornhub’s acceptance privileges pending the completion of our ongoing investigation. We are instructing the financial institutions who serve MindGeek to suspend the processing of payments through the Visa network,” the tweet read.

Expressing displeasure over the decision, Pornhub called the move extremely disappointing. The development comes after Pornhub came under the scanner reports further claimed that the site displays revenge pornography and videos that were shot without consent.

However, Pornhub made a few changes on its website after the incident and said it would only allow verified users to upload videos on the website.

Moreover, the website is also planning to introduce a verification process that would allow users to upload content after proper verification. Additionally, the site has started prohibiting users from downloading videos from the website.