The suspension occurs as Visa fights a lawsuit that claims the credit card company helped Pornhub profit off child porn.
I've been with PCMag since October 2017, covering a wide range of topics, including consumer electronics, cybersecurity, social media, networking, and gaming. Prior to working at PCMag, I was a foreign correspondent in Beijing for over five years, covering the tech scene in Asia.
UPDATE 8/5: Mastercard will also stop accepting payments(Opens in a new window) for Pornhub's advertising arm TrafficJunky.
"New facts from last week’s court ruling made us aware of advertising revenue outside of our view that appears to provide Pornhub with indirect funding. This step will further enforce our December 2020 decision to terminate the use of our products on that site," Mastercard said.
"We have zero tolerance for illegal activity on our network. We will continue to follow this case and take further action, as necessary," the company added.
Original story 8/4: In a blow to Pornhub, Visa has decided to stop accepting payments for the adult video site’s advertising arm, TrafficJunky.
In December 2020, both Visa and Mastercard suspended their credit card services with Pornhub after the site was found to be circulating child porn and sex-trafficking videos. The company is now expanding the suspension to cover TrafficJunky in response to a lawsuit that claims Visa enabled Pornhub to profit off the child porn videos.
“Accordingly, we will suspend TrafficJunky’s Visa acceptance privileges based on the court’s decision until further notice,” said Visa CEO Alfred Kelly in a Thursday statement(Opens in a new window) . In addition, the suspension covers any affiliated advertising services with MindGeek, Pornhub’s parent company.
However, Visa is making one exemption to the suspension. "Visa can be used only at MindGeek studio sites that feature adult professional actors in legal adult entertainment,” Kelly said.
Pornhub and MindGeek didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment. But the Visa suspension could further crater the company’s business. Currently, Pornhub only accepts payments via bank transfer and cryptocurrency, making it more of hassle for users to pay for Pornhub Premium.
Kelly announced the new suspension after a US court denied the company’s motion to dismiss the lawsuit, which alleges Visa continued to process payments for Pornhub, even though it was aware of the child pornography over the site. The lawsuit comes from Serena Fleites, who was 13 when a sexual explicit video of her was made by a boyfriend and posted on Pornhub.
It could take years before the court reaches a final verdict on the case. But in the meantime, Visa “strongly disagrees” with the judge’s decision to deny the case’s dismissal, Kelly said. “In our view, our company’s role, policies, and practices have been mischaracterized. The allegations in this lawsuit are repugnant and stand in direct contradiction to Visa’s values and purpose,” he added.
The company also plans on sharing its side of the controversy through evidence in court. “We look forward to shining a light onto the lengths Visa goes to ensure the integrity of our people and network,” Visa’s CEO said.
Sign up for SecurityWatch newsletter for our top privacy and security stories delivered right to your inbox.
This newsletter may contain advertising, deals, or affiliate links. Subscribing to a newsletter indicates your consent to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. You may unsubscribe from the newsletters at any time.
Your subscription has been confirmed. Keep an eye on your inbox!
I've been with PCMag since October 2017, covering a wide range of topics, including consumer electronics, cybersecurity, social media, networking, and gaming. Prior to working at PCMag, I was a foreign correspondent in Beijing for over five years, covering the tech scene in Asia.
PCMag.com is a leading authority on technology, delivering lab-based, independent reviews of the latest products and services. Our expert industry analysis and practical solutions help you make better buying decisions and get more from technology.
© 1996-2022 Ziff Davis. PCMag Digital Group
PCMag, PCMag.com and PC Magazine are among the federally registered trademarks of Ziff Davis and may not be used by third parties without explicit permission. The display of third-party trademarks and trade names on this site does not necessarily indicate any affiliation or the endorsement of PCMag. If you click an affiliate link and buy a product or service, we may be paid a fee by that merchant.