Exposing the Dark Underbelly of Pornography and Human Trafficking: A Courageous Fight for Justice
Introduction: A Voice Against Exploitation
In a candid and compelling interview, Lila Mwe, co-founder and CEO of the Justice Defense Fund, sheds light on the harrowing realities hidden within the world of online pornography, particularly focusing on the platform PornHub. With nearly two decades of experience fighting human trafficking and sexual exploitation, she recounts her journey from initial observations to orchestrating a global movement to shut down illicit content linked to child abuse, rape, and sex trafficking.
Her narrative is raw, detailed, and unflinching—highlighting not only the depth of the problem but also her relentless advocacy for victims and the systemic reforms necessary to prevent further harm.
The Genesis of the Fight: From Curiosity to Crisis
In early 2020, amidst the chaos of the pandemic, Mwe's awareness was galvanized by tragic stories of abuse on PornHub. One case involved a 15-year-old girl from Florida who was missing for a year before her mother was tipped off by a user recognizing her on the site. The girl was found in videos being exploited for profit, impregnated and subjected to unimaginable trauma.
Her curiosity led to a daring experiment: testing how content is uploaded to PornHub. She discovered that anyone could upload videos with just an email and without verification of age or consent. This revelation was earth-shattering; PornHub wasn't just a platform for adult entertainment—according to her, it was a crime scene infested with videos of real sexual abuse.
The Scale of the Problem: Unmasking the Monster
PornHub's massive footprint became evident through her investigation. By the end of 2020, the site was the fifth most visited in the world, with over 170 million daily visits and 56 million pieces of content—an avalanche of videos uploaded annually. The content was vast and unchecked, fostering a marketplace rife with trafficking and abuse.
Victim stories flooded in: young girls coerced into recording their assault, children as young as three being exploited, victims begging for removal of their videos with no response. Whistleblowers inside the company, including former owners and employees, came forward, exposing the company's criminal neglect at every level.
Mobilizing a Global Movement: From Hashtags to Courtrooms
Mwe harnessed social media to raise awareness, launching the hashtag #TraffickingHub. The movement gained momentum rapidly, backed by victims, activists, and legal experts. She authored an opinion piece outlining the scope of the exploitation, which went viral and caught the attention of investigative journalist Nick Kristoff of The New York Times.
Kristoff's groundbreaking report, "The Children of PornHub," spotlighted ongoing abuse cases, linking the platform to notorious traffickers and abusers. As public pressure mounted, major credit card companies—Visa, MasterCard, Discover—began to sever their ties with PornHub, crippling its business.
The Massive Content Takedown: A Double-Edged Sword
In response to financial strangulation, PornHub initiated the largest content removal in internet history, deleting over 30 million images and videos. Yet, this effort was superficial; platform executives continued to operate under a thin guise of reform, leaving unverified content that still posed risks, especially to victims seeking justice.
Legal breakthroughs followed. Victims, including teenagers like Serena Fus, who was bullied into sharing explicit images, sued PornHub, exposing a horrifying pattern of inaction and complicity. Civil litigation revealed internal policies allowing videos with multiple flags or even verified uploaders to remain online for years, often with the content depicting children or non-consensual acts.
The Monopoly of Evil: MindGeek and Its Shadowy Ownership
Investigations uncovered that PornHub's parent company, MindGeek, had consolidated control over the global adult industry, owning multiple tube sites and porn brands. The company's secret majority shareholder, a man named Burn Berg Mayer based in Austria, along with executives operating from Canada and elsewhere, perpetuated a system driven solely by profit—no matter the human cost.
Despite criminal charges against the platform, including a 2023 federal indictment in the U.S. for profiting from sex trafficking, the company continued to operate, rebranded as Ethical Capital Partners—a superficial attempt at damage control. Yet, critical content remains unverified, and major payment processors still restrict direct transactions but are leery of overt regulation, creating a façade of reform and delaying justice.
The Human Toll: Victims' Stories and Long-standing Trauma
Mwe shares heartbreaking testimonies—girls and women exploited on edge-lit videos with racist, violent, or underage themes. Victims like Serena Fus endured overwhelming trauma after their videos circulated without consent, leading to depression, drug addiction, homelessness, and suicidal ideation. Many are still seeking justice, with lawsuits ongoing against PornHub, its operators, and affiliated credit card entities.
Examples like Rocky Sha Franklin, arrested and imprisoned for assaulting children in videos uploaded by verified users, highlight the deep layers of exploitation. Internal communications reveal employees grappling with moral dilemmas—knowing the crimes they inadvertently enable but feeling powerless to act.
Legal discovery has unveiled egregious internal policies: just one employee reviewing thousands of flagged videos weekly, with a backlog of over 76,000 videos waiting for inspection. Many contain children or victims of trafficking, yet remain accessible due to inadequate moderation.
Current laws, dating back decades, like the U.S. USC 2257, require verification of the age and consent of performers—a law continuity familiar to traditional pornography production but poorly enforced online. The platform's "host" status has been exploited as a loophole, with companies arguing they merely host user-generated content and are thus shielded legally.
However, investigative findings demonstrate their active distribution, transfer, and possession of child abuse material, which is criminal and unacceptable. These entities have the technological means—like facial recognition AI—to verify age and consent pre-upload, yet they intentionally avoid implementing such safety measures because of financial costs and content volume.
The Role of Government and Corporate Responsibility
For meaningful change, advocacy increasingly targets corporations and governments alike. Visa, Mastercard, and others can implement policies that refuse to process payments for sites lacking verified age and consent. Politicians in states like Texas are pushing legislation to mandate age verification, with the Supreme Court now examining the constitutionality of such measures.
Victims and activists emphasize that existing laws, such as USC 2257, need modernization to encompass internet Article content, and enforcement must be rigorous. Civil litigation can hold financial institutions accountable, pressuring them to cease business with companies that profit from illegal content—an approach that has shown promising results.
The battle against online sexual exploitation is multifaceted. It requires awareness, public pressure, tighter regulations, technological innovation, and unwavering advocacy. Mwe urges everyday individuals to support petitions like TraffickingHub.com, educate themselves, and advocate for policies that prioritize human dignity over profit.
Her new book, "Take Down: Inside the Fight to Shut Down PornHub," shares her personal journey and exposes the criminal networks enabling exploitation. All proceeds support victims' legal battles and healing, emphasizing that systemic change begins with informed citizens standing united.
Lila Mwe's tireless activism highlights a stark reality: the digital landscape is riddled with human suffering masked behind screens, manipulated by powerful, unaccountable corporations. Her work underscores the urgent need for society to confront these injustices, reassert the moral responsibility of industry leaders and lawmakers, and protect the vulnerable—especially children—from predation.
Only through persistent pressure, technological safeguards, and legal reforms can we hope to transform the internet from a site of tragedy into a space of safety, justice, and healing.
Let us be the voice that exposes the darkness and champions the light of justice.
Part 1/14:
Exposing the Dark Underbelly of Pornography and Human Trafficking: A Courageous Fight for Justice
Introduction: A Voice Against Exploitation
In a candid and compelling interview, Lila Mwe, co-founder and CEO of the Justice Defense Fund, sheds light on the harrowing realities hidden within the world of online pornography, particularly focusing on the platform PornHub. With nearly two decades of experience fighting human trafficking and sexual exploitation, she recounts her journey from initial observations to orchestrating a global movement to shut down illicit content linked to child abuse, rape, and sex trafficking.
Part 2/14:
Her narrative is raw, detailed, and unflinching—highlighting not only the depth of the problem but also her relentless advocacy for victims and the systemic reforms necessary to prevent further harm.
The Genesis of the Fight: From Curiosity to Crisis
In early 2020, amidst the chaos of the pandemic, Mwe's awareness was galvanized by tragic stories of abuse on PornHub. One case involved a 15-year-old girl from Florida who was missing for a year before her mother was tipped off by a user recognizing her on the site. The girl was found in videos being exploited for profit, impregnated and subjected to unimaginable trauma.
Part 3/14:
Her curiosity led to a daring experiment: testing how content is uploaded to PornHub. She discovered that anyone could upload videos with just an email and without verification of age or consent. This revelation was earth-shattering; PornHub wasn't just a platform for adult entertainment—according to her, it was a crime scene infested with videos of real sexual abuse.
The Scale of the Problem: Unmasking the Monster
PornHub's massive footprint became evident through her investigation. By the end of 2020, the site was the fifth most visited in the world, with over 170 million daily visits and 56 million pieces of content—an avalanche of videos uploaded annually. The content was vast and unchecked, fostering a marketplace rife with trafficking and abuse.
Part 4/14:
Victim stories flooded in: young girls coerced into recording their assault, children as young as three being exploited, victims begging for removal of their videos with no response. Whistleblowers inside the company, including former owners and employees, came forward, exposing the company's criminal neglect at every level.
Mobilizing a Global Movement: From Hashtags to Courtrooms
Mwe harnessed social media to raise awareness, launching the hashtag #TraffickingHub. The movement gained momentum rapidly, backed by victims, activists, and legal experts. She authored an opinion piece outlining the scope of the exploitation, which went viral and caught the attention of investigative journalist Nick Kristoff of The New York Times.
Part 5/14:
Kristoff's groundbreaking report, "The Children of PornHub," spotlighted ongoing abuse cases, linking the platform to notorious traffickers and abusers. As public pressure mounted, major credit card companies—Visa, MasterCard, Discover—began to sever their ties with PornHub, crippling its business.
The Massive Content Takedown: A Double-Edged Sword
In response to financial strangulation, PornHub initiated the largest content removal in internet history, deleting over 30 million images and videos. Yet, this effort was superficial; platform executives continued to operate under a thin guise of reform, leaving unverified content that still posed risks, especially to victims seeking justice.
Part 6/14:
Legal breakthroughs followed. Victims, including teenagers like Serena Fus, who was bullied into sharing explicit images, sued PornHub, exposing a horrifying pattern of inaction and complicity. Civil litigation revealed internal policies allowing videos with multiple flags or even verified uploaders to remain online for years, often with the content depicting children or non-consensual acts.
The Monopoly of Evil: MindGeek and Its Shadowy Ownership
Part 7/14:
Investigations uncovered that PornHub's parent company, MindGeek, had consolidated control over the global adult industry, owning multiple tube sites and porn brands. The company's secret majority shareholder, a man named Burn Berg Mayer based in Austria, along with executives operating from Canada and elsewhere, perpetuated a system driven solely by profit—no matter the human cost.
Part 8/14:
Despite criminal charges against the platform, including a 2023 federal indictment in the U.S. for profiting from sex trafficking, the company continued to operate, rebranded as Ethical Capital Partners—a superficial attempt at damage control. Yet, critical content remains unverified, and major payment processors still restrict direct transactions but are leery of overt regulation, creating a façade of reform and delaying justice.
The Human Toll: Victims' Stories and Long-standing Trauma
Part 9/14:
Mwe shares heartbreaking testimonies—girls and women exploited on edge-lit videos with racist, violent, or underage themes. Victims like Serena Fus endured overwhelming trauma after their videos circulated without consent, leading to depression, drug addiction, homelessness, and suicidal ideation. Many are still seeking justice, with lawsuits ongoing against PornHub, its operators, and affiliated credit card entities.
Examples like Rocky Sha Franklin, arrested and imprisoned for assaulting children in videos uploaded by verified users, highlight the deep layers of exploitation. Internal communications reveal employees grappling with moral dilemmas—knowing the crimes they inadvertently enable but feeling powerless to act.
The System’s Weaknesses and the Path Forward
Part 10/14:
Legal discovery has unveiled egregious internal policies: just one employee reviewing thousands of flagged videos weekly, with a backlog of over 76,000 videos waiting for inspection. Many contain children or victims of trafficking, yet remain accessible due to inadequate moderation.
Current laws, dating back decades, like the U.S. USC 2257, require verification of the age and consent of performers—a law continuity familiar to traditional pornography production but poorly enforced online. The platform's "host" status has been exploited as a loophole, with companies arguing they merely host user-generated content and are thus shielded legally.
Part 11/14:
However, investigative findings demonstrate their active distribution, transfer, and possession of child abuse material, which is criminal and unacceptable. These entities have the technological means—like facial recognition AI—to verify age and consent pre-upload, yet they intentionally avoid implementing such safety measures because of financial costs and content volume.
The Role of Government and Corporate Responsibility
Part 12/14:
For meaningful change, advocacy increasingly targets corporations and governments alike. Visa, Mastercard, and others can implement policies that refuse to process payments for sites lacking verified age and consent. Politicians in states like Texas are pushing legislation to mandate age verification, with the Supreme Court now examining the constitutionality of such measures.
Victims and activists emphasize that existing laws, such as USC 2257, need modernization to encompass internet Article content, and enforcement must be rigorous. Civil litigation can hold financial institutions accountable, pressuring them to cease business with companies that profit from illegal content—an approach that has shown promising results.
The Power of Awareness and Individual Action
Part 13/14:
The battle against online sexual exploitation is multifaceted. It requires awareness, public pressure, tighter regulations, technological innovation, and unwavering advocacy. Mwe urges everyday individuals to support petitions like TraffickingHub.com, educate themselves, and advocate for policies that prioritize human dignity over profit.
Her new book, "Take Down: Inside the Fight to Shut Down PornHub," shares her personal journey and exposes the criminal networks enabling exploitation. All proceeds support victims' legal battles and healing, emphasizing that systemic change begins with informed citizens standing united.
Conclusion: Toward a Safer Digital Future
Part 14/14:
Lila Mwe's tireless activism highlights a stark reality: the digital landscape is riddled with human suffering masked behind screens, manipulated by powerful, unaccountable corporations. Her work underscores the urgent need for society to confront these injustices, reassert the moral responsibility of industry leaders and lawmakers, and protect the vulnerable—especially children—from predation.
Only through persistent pressure, technological safeguards, and legal reforms can we hope to transform the internet from a site of tragedy into a space of safety, justice, and healing.
Let us be the voice that exposes the darkness and champions the light of justice.