Statement from the Canadian Centre for Child Protection regarding MindGeek’s testimony at today’s Standing Committee on Access to Information, Privacy and Ethics

Winnipeg, Canada — The Canadian Centre for Child Protection (C3P) is encouraged by the intense interest demonstrated today by members of the Standing Committee on Access to Information, Privacy and Ethics on the content moderation practices of the company MindGeek, and its adult website PornHub.

While under intense scrutiny, statements by company directors Mr. Feras Antoon and Mr. David Tassillo raised as many questions as they did answers about the commitment — both current and historic — of adult websites to the safety and privacy of children and non-consenting adults.

“Let’s not lose sight of the core problem that led to this moment. When we don’t regulate spaces, especially those involving explicit adult content, the most vulnerable among us — children, teenagers, and adults — inevitably suffer,” says Executive Director for C3P, Lianna McDonald. “We do not accept this standard in other forms of media — including television, radio and print. We should not accept it, as our inaction collectively has, in the digital space.”

Through Project Arachnid, a tech solution for detecting child sexual abuse material (CSAM), C3P has issued more than seven million take down notices to electronic services providers globally since 2017. MindGeek-controlled websites have also been on the receiving end of these notices.

C3P looks forward to the continued work of this parliamentary committee.