Deep Dive
Why did Laila Mickelwait decide to devote herself to combating sex trafficking and illegal content on Pornhub?
Laila was influenced by her father's concern for human rights and suffered a personal low point involving hedonistic pursuits in Hollywood. She realized the hollow nature of such ambitions and turned to service, inspired by a spiritual awakening and a documentary on child sex trafficking in Calcutta.
What significant actions has Laila Mickelwait taken against Pornhub?
Laila initiated the #Traffickinghub movement, which garnered 2.3 million signatures worldwide and pressured credit card companies to cut ties with Pornhub. This led to the removal of 91% of Pornhub's content and exposed key executives, including CEO Bernd Bergmayer.
How does Laila Mickelwait propose to address the issue of illegal content on porn sites?
Laila advocates for mandatory third-party age and consent verification for all user-generated porn content. She also suggests financial institutions implement policies similar to anti-money laundering measures to disengage from sites that fail to comply.
What role did social media play in Laila Mickelwait's campaign against Pornhub?
Social media was crucial for spreading awareness and gathering support. Laila's posts, often shared by influential figures like Dr. Jordan Peterson, reached millions and encouraged victims to come forward and whistleblowers to provide critical information.
What is the significance of the Traffickinghub petition in Laila Mickelwait's efforts?
The Traffickinghub petition has been instrumental in generating media attention and public pressure, contributing to the significant reduction of content on Pornhub and the disengagement of major credit card companies.
How does Laila Mickelwait view the intersection of technology and criminal behavior on the internet?
Laila sees the anonymity provided by the internet as a catalyst for psychopathic and sadistic behavior. She believes that removing anonymity through verification processes is key to curbing illegal and harmful activities online.
What personal experiences influenced Laila Mickelwait's decision to combat sex trafficking?
Laila's experiences include a period of hedonistic pursuits in Hollywood, a spiritual awakening, and a documentary on child sex trafficking in Calcutta that deeply impacted her. These events led her to focus on combating sex trafficking and illegal content.
What is the current status of Pornhub's content and financial partnerships?
Pornhub has removed 91% of its content and lost partnerships with Visa, MasterCard, and Discover due to public pressure and legal challenges. It now relies on cryptocurrency and bank wires for monetization.
How does Laila Mickelwait's work intersect with the broader issue of pornography's impact on culture?
Laila's work highlights the dark side of pornography, including its role in normalizing violent and non-consensual content. She argues that this normalization contributes to a culture of exploitation and desensitization, particularly affecting young people.
What solutions does Laila Mickelwait propose for the future of online pornography?
Laila proposes enforcing existing laws more rigorously, implementing mandatory age and consent verification, and pressuring financial institutions to disengage from sites that fail to comply with these standards.
- Laila Mickelwait's 18-year fight against sex trafficking
- Pornhub's massive scale: 170 million daily visits in 2020
- Pornhub's business model based on user-generated content and advertising
- Pornhub's inadequate moderation: 30 moderators for millions of videos
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