This archive report was first published on 16 November 2019.
On November 16, 2019, PayPal announced that it had cut off Pornhub from using its payment services, citing a breach of payment rules.
Although Pornhub is primarily a free porn site, a section of its site allows models to upload and monetize content using PayPal as a payment system.
According to PayPal's Certain Use Policy, certain sexually oriented materials or services are forbidden, and the electronic payment company uses this policy to make decisions on sexually oriented websites.
PayPal stated that Pornhub had made certain business payments through PayPal without seeking its permission, which is not in line with the terms of their agreement.
“Following a review, we have discovered that Pornhub has made certain business payments through PayPal without seeking our permission. We have taken action to stop these transactions from occurring,” PayPal said in a statement.
As a result of PayPal's decision, Pornhub's owner, MindGeek, expressed concern for the over 100,000 performers who rely on PayPal for their livelihoods.
“We are all devastated by PayPal’s decision to stop payouts to over a hundred thousand performers who rely on them for their livelihoods,” MindGeek said in a blog post.
Despite the setback, Pornhub has announced plans to explore alternative payment methods, including cryptocurrency options, to ensure that its performers continue to receive payments.
