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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