Introduction

The private-equity firm that owns MindGeek — which operates a massive network of adult entertainment properties, including Pornhub — has shed the company’s old name and, it hopes, some of the baggage that came with it.

The Rebranding Decision

“The decision to rebrand the company as Aylo comes in response to the need for a fresh start and a renewed commitment to innovation, diverse and inclusive adult content, and trust and safety,” the Montreal-based company said in an Aug. 17 statement.

Acquisition and Focus

In March, Ethical Capital Partners, a private-equity firm based in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada, acquired MindGeek for undisclosed financial terms. ECP has said it would focus on building the company’s “trust and safety” and to make it “the internet leader in fighting illegal online content.”

Legal Allegations and Consequences

The company’s sale — and now the name change — comes after it was the target of lawsuits accusing it of profiting from child pornography and nonconsensual sex videos. MindGeek has said the allegations lack merit. Last year, Visa and Mastercard both cut off payment processing to the advertising division that sells ads on Pornhub, after a federal court rejected Visa’s request to be removed from a case in which MindGeek was being sued for allegedly distributing child pornography. Meanwhile, YouTube and Instagram have suspended Pornhub’s accounts on their respective platforms, citing policy violations.

A Fresh Beginning

The new name, Aylo, “symbolizes a fresh beginning, reflecting our dedication to being a global leading tech platform that empowers hundreds of thousands of creators to earn a living, that employs innovative employees and that provides hundreds of millions of users worldwide with safe content,” the company said in announcing the change.

Commitment to Correct Misinformation

“Since March 2023, as the new owners of MindGeek, now Aylo, we committed to meeting with employees and external stakeholders. We heard from our colleagues that they needed a fresh start,” Sarah Bain, ECP’s VP of public engagement, said in a statement. Bain added that ECP has embarked on a mission “to correct misinformation and public perception about the company, who they are and how they present themselves to the world.”

Aylo’s Commitment

Alex Kekesi, VP of brand and community at Pornhub, commented in a statement, “The Pornhub team is excited to be a part of Aylo and will continue to provide a safe space for verified content creators and the entire adult entertainment community to share, monetize and enjoy content. Under this new banner, we will continue to commit to our core values of consent, freedom of sexual expression, authenticity, originality and diversity.”

Aylo’s Portfolio

In addition to Pornhub, Aylo’s portfolio includes Brazzers, YouPorn, Reality Kings, Men.com, TransAngels and Nutaku. The company was launched in 2004.

Industry-Leading Safety Measures

Aylo claims it is unique in the online-porn business with industry-leading safety measures. The company says it has a process in place to “ID-verify every single person who uploads content” to its sites, and that it has engaged with more than 70 nonprofit organizations worldwide to combat child sexual abuse material (CSAM) and nonconsensual sexual content. Aylo claims to be among the first adult-content companies to register with and report violative content to the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children (NCMEC), a nonprofit org whose mission is to prevent child victimization.

About Ethical Capital Partners

ECP says it was founded in 2022 by a “multidisciplinary team with legal, regulatory, law enforcement, public engagement and finance experience” to identify properties “amenable to our responsible investment approach and that have the potential to create attractive returns over a compelling time horizon.”