Aylo Holdings denies violating Canadian privacy laws amid legal battle
Toronto: Canada’s privacy watchdog has approached the Federal Court, seeking an order to ensure that Pornhub.com and other adult content platforms obtain proper consent from individuals featured in their videos and images, according to reports. Privacy Commissioner Philippe Dufresne has raised concerns about Montreal-based Aylo Holdings for the second time.
In February 2024, Dufresne stated that Aylo had violated privacy laws by allowing the sharing of intimate images without the explicit consent of those depicted. Now, he has moved to require Aylo to comply with Canadian privacy regulations, Reuters reported.
“To date, Aylo has not adequately addressed the significant concerns that were identified in my investigation. Privacy is a fundamental right, and individuals must be protected,” Dufresne said, as quoted by the news agency.
Aylo’s response
Reacting to the development, an Aylo spokesperson stated that Pornhub “strongly disagrees” with the Office of the Privacy Commissioner’s claims and does not believe it has breached Canadian privacy laws.
“We have been in productive dialogue with the OPC since last year about the potential of a compliance agreement, so we are disappointed and surprised to see them take this action, and we will respond in due course,” said Alex Kekesi, Aylo’s vice president for brand and community, as per Reuters.
What triggered the investigation?
The probe into Aylo Holdings was launched after a woman discovered that her ex-boyfriend had uploaded intimate videos and images of her to Aylo’s platforms without her consent.
Aylo noted that the incident took place in 2015 and said it has since taken multiple steps to prevent unauthorized content from being uploaded.
Kekesi outlined several measures the company has implemented, including mandatory uploader verification, proof of consent and identification for all participants in uploaded content, banning downloads, and expanding its moderation team and processes.
