A UK firm has been fined £4000 for distributing sex films with misleading box covers, while in the US, 22 women have won a $13 million lawsuit against Girls Do Porn for deceptive practices and a separate lawsuit seeks $22 million from the same company.
UK Distributor Fined for Misleading Box Covers
Pabo Ltd, a Birmingham-based firm, has been fined £4000 for supplying sex films that were not as explicit as depicted on their box covers. The case was heard by Dorking magistrates after a woman complained to trading standards officers. She reported that hardcore scenes shown on the covers of three videos she purchased were absent from the films themselves.
UK censors had removed these scenes from the films, but Pabo Ltd maintained the still pictures on the covers. The company also reportedly ignored complaints regarding the discrepancy.
Girls Do Porn Faces Multi-Million Dollar Lawsuits in the US
In the United States, the adult subscription service Girls Do Porn is at the center of multiple legal actions concerning allegations of coercion and deception. In August, 22 women testified in a San Diego trial, alleging they were deceived into producing internet pornography for the site. They have since won this lawsuit, securing a $13 million judgment.
The women described how what was advertised as a modeling job on Craigslist, featuring images of fully clothed women, was a recruitment scheme for producing amateur pornography. Producers allegedly claimed the content would not be posted online. Website owners Michael Pratt and Matthew Wolfe reportedly hired women to act as "reference models," who claimed to have filmed with the company previously and assured nervous women they were in good hands.
Testimonies from the women detailed being flown to San Diego, where they were informed that their compensation would be significantly lower than the initially agreed-upon amount. They were also reportedly warned that they could be sued for the cost of their flight and hotel if they did not comply with the "job terms."
After being pressured into signing contracts and completing videos, and despite assurances that the content would not be posted online, the videos appeared on various online platforms, including Pornhub. The women also stated that their personal identifying information was published alongside the content. They testified that Girls Do Porn website owners "deliberately leaked their identities and personal information by sending footage to their friends and families." This resulted in the videos being sent to their personal networks, leading to harassment and humiliation.
A separate lawsuit, seeking $22 million (£17.5m), has been filed against US porn makers over similar allegations of lying and coercing a group of young women into making "amateur-style" pornographic films. This case, heard in San Diego superior court since August 19, involves Jane Doe 1 and 21 other women. The women contend that their lives were "destroyed" after GirlsDoPorn released the films online, despite allegedly promising the content would only be seen anonymously on specialist DVDs.
Jane Doe 1 described in court how the humiliation led her to abandon her career in law and resulted in two suicide attempts. Following the publication of details about the women on WikiPorn, along with social media and in-depth personal information, a campaign of anonymous harassment began, which included the films being sent to their friends and family.
GirlsDoPorn, launched in 2006 by New Zealander Michael Pratt, is an adult subscription service. Its videos, filmed in homes, hotels, and caravan parks, promote the image of an "ordinary" college girl making her first and only pornographic film.
Indiana Attorney General Sues Aylo
In a separate development, Indiana Attorney General Todd Rokita has filed a lawsuit against Aylo, a Canadian-based company, alleging violations of Indiana's Deceptive Consumer Sales Act and its age verification law. Aylo owns three of the world's top 10 pornographic websites and numerous pornographic film studios in the U.S. and internationally. The lawsuit, filed on behalf of the state of Indiana, claims that Aylo made "false and misleading statements."
Key Facts
- Pabo Ltd, a Birmingham firm, was fined £4000 for misleading box covers on sex films.
- A woman complained to trading standards after scenes on covers were absent from films due to UK censors.
- 22 women won a $13 million lawsuit against Girls Do Porn in San Diego for deceptive practices.
- Girls Do Porn allegedly recruited women through Craigslist for "modeling jobs" that were actually for amateur pornography.
- Women testified to being pressured into filming, with content appearing online and personal information leaked despite assurances.
- A separate lawsuit seeks $22 million from Girls Do Porn over similar allegations of coercion and lies.
- Indiana Attorney General Todd Rokita is suing Aylo for alleged violations of Indiana's Deceptive Consumer Sales Act and age verification law.
