1143: Laila Mickelwait | Exposing Pornhub's Dark Trafficking Empire

Big porn sites enabled trafficking for profit. Here, Takedown author Laila Mickelwait shares how her fight against Pornhub led to industry-wide reform.

Full show notes and resources can be found here: jordanharbinger.com/1143

What We Discuss with Laila Mickelwait:

For over a decade, internet porn content provider Pornhub knowingly profited from illegal content with minimal moderation • (10 staff per shift reviewing 700+ videos each) while requiring 15+ flags before review and tracking profits from questionable categories. Sex trafficking includes deception/coercion in monetized sexual acts. • For minors, any commercial sexual exploitation automatically constitutes trafficking regardless of consent. Financial pressure proved most effective in Laila Mickelwait's crusade against Porhub's shady practices • — credit card companies cutting ties forced the company to remove 80% of content overnight, demonstrating how targeting enablers can be as effective as targeting perpetrators. Third-party age and consent verification for everyone in every video would prevent most exploitation • while protecting privacy. Strategic activism works — Laila succeeded by gathering evidence, building coalitions with victims and experts, and applying targeted pressure despite threats and harassment. • Her example shows that determined individuals can challenge harmful systems by identifying pressure points and maintaining focus on accountability. • And much more...

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