MindGeek become Aylo: Battling lawsuits, Pornhub parent gets a name change

Pornhub parent company MindGeek changes its name to Aylo amid lawsuits and controversy.

MindGeek, the company that owns a host of adult entertainment properties including Pornhub, is getting a name change. MindGeek will henceforth be referred to as Aylo. A statement from the Montreal-based company stated: “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.

While Aylo can’t be found in any English dictionary of note, Urban Dictionary has this to offer: “Aylo is the most fun person you will ever meet. She always knows how to make you smile and understands what you are going through. She is also always easy to talk to if you need some advice. If you ever come across an Aylo, keep her close.”

Earlier in March, Ethical Capital Partners, a private-equity firm in Ottawa, Ontario, Canadia acquired MindGeek. ECP claimed its raison d’etre was to build “trust and safety” and to make the company the “internet leader in fighting illegal online content”.

The name change comes amid lawsuits which accuse it of profiting from child pornography and non-consensual sex videos. The company claims the allegations lack merit. In the last year, both Visa and Mastercard stopped payment processing to the ad division that sells ads on Pornhub. Both YouTube and Instagram have also removed Pornhub’s accounts.

The company states that the name Aylo, which is gibberish and can’t be found in any dictionary, reflects a new beginning which would seek to “empower hundreds of thousands of creators to earn a living” and also provide “hundreds of millions of users worldwide with safe content”.

Sarah Bain, VP Of public engagement at ECP, said: “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.”

Alex Kekesi, VP of brand and community at Pornhub added, “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.”