Canada's privacy watchdog announced on Monday his intention to pursue a court order against the operator of Pornhub.com and other adult entertainment websites to ensure they obtain consent from individuals whose images are featured.
Privacy Commissioner Philippe Dufresne's action against Montreal-based Aylo Holdings is the second in a year over concerns about the sharing of intimate images without proper consent. Dufresne stated the need for a Federal Court order to compel Aylo to adhere to Canadian privacy laws, emphasizing the importance of safeguarding individuals' privacy rights.
Aylo responded, expressing strong disagreement with the Privacy Commissioner's claims and asserting compliance with privacy laws. The company indicated that it was engaged in dialogues regarding a potential compliance agreement and expressed surprise at the legal action taken.
The investigation was triggered when a woman discovered that her ex-boyfriend had uploaded intimate content to Aylo's websites without her consent. Aylo, in response to the incident from 2015 that prompted the complaint, highlighted measures taken to prevent illegal material on their platform. These measures include mandatory uploader verification, proof of consent, participant identification, content moderation, and a ban on content downloads.
Aylo's vice president, Alex Kekesi, mentioned that these safeguards represent significant progress in detecting and removing harmful and illegal content.