Porn Hub Threatened by Anti-Porn Movement while Vice targets Federal MP over Porn Hub Execs safety
A criminal fire destroyed the $19Million home of Feras Antoon, Pornhub Executive.
The mansion, located in the Ahuntsic-Cartierville neighbourhood of Montreal, was set ablaze on April 26th, 2021. Antoon is one of the owners of MindGeek, a Canadian enterprise and parent company of the pornography website Pornhub.
Police were called at 11:30 pm and responded to the trespassers on the property. They found the house on fire. Responders evacuated nearby homes, and nobody was injured.
Canadian Member of Parliament Charlie Angus, NPD MP Legislator, has been accused of targeting executives of PornHub via the all-party committee study currently investigating the status of Pornhub/MindGeek’s adherence to Canadian Law. Angus stated that part of the study is examining “whether or not images of child pornography and non-consensual sexual assault videos were being promoted on Pornhub.”
The MP was contacted by VICE media to respond to the doctored video which accused Angus and other members of parliament of putting Pornhub executives’ lives at risk.
The lawfulness of MindGeek, with headquarters based in Montreal, has been directed by Angus to the Attorney General. Angus stated that letters written by MindGeek employees were read in the House of Commons - workers are concerned that “the laws relating to non-consensual abuse videos are not being applied at MindGeek.”
In 2020, the website purged all content posted by unverified users. The policy change was a hurried response to backlash after victims of child, and sexual abuse came forward with allegations against the porn industry. Over 100 survivors of sexual exploitation came forward, inciting a full criminal investigation of the company.
Angus thanked the survivors for their courage in coming forward and those who testified. “Our committee promised a safe space for them to testify, and I will continue to ensure that the voices of survivors are not ignored.”
The prepared report regarding whether or not Pornhub/MindGeek is abiding by Canadian Law will be presented for Parliament with recommendations on whether or not the Canadian laws related to the porn industry require updating.
An official statement from Pornhub stated: "It is clear that Pornhub is being targeted not because of our policies and how we compare to our peers, but because we are an adult content platform.”
While Canadian Laws regarding the porn industry are being reviewed, some sex workers fear for the legal status of their livelihood. The Canadian Alliance for Sex Work Law Reform is an alliance of 25 sex-work groups across the country seeking to end sex work prohibition and criminalization related to the industry.
Leader Jenn Clamon stated, “We have been patiently waiting on the empty promises of parliamentarians to uphold the rights of sex workers who are increasingly experiencing the impacts of these laws and the heavy hand of law enforcement.”
