xHamster stops anonymous photo uploads

According to VICE research: xHamster stops anonymous photo uploads

In October you launched VICE research into how badly Germany's most popular porn site affects victims of sexually assaulted v******e. Now pulls remove xHamster.

The most visited porn platform in Germany is growing by thousands of new uploads every day. Until recently, everyone could upload photos and videos anonymously to xHamster. Much of the footage on the platform shows consensual sex. Others, however, may show minors and people who never wanted to be seen naked on the net.

Anyone who allegedly wanted to distribute i*****l recordings on xHamster initially encountered few hurdles. Almost two months ago, VICE research behind the scenes at xHamster showed how superficially new photo uploads are checked. Volunteer fire-fighting workers should, for example, decide by simply looking whether a person in a photo is still under 18.

In October, xHamster only responded to our questionnaire with brief statements. "Rest assured controls and reviews are in place," wrote Vice President Alex Hawkins in an email.

Now, shortly before Christmas, the platform introduced some drastic changes: Anonymous users can currently no longer publish photos on xHamster. This means that a central feature of the platform has been deactivated until further notice.

The button for uploading new photos has also disappeared for everyone who uses the site anonymously. If you go to the photo upload website anyway, you will see an error message: "Unfortunately, this function is temporarily not available for technical reasons."

But that's not a technical error, as xHamster Vice President Hawkins confirms to VICE. Instead, it is one of several measures to better review content on xHamster. "We're taking the time to pause and reevaluate," writes Hawkins. "That means that we shut down certain functions completely until we find a better solution."

If you want to continue posting photos, you have to be verified by the platform or create a so-called "Creator" account. In both cases, users are no longer anonymous. You then have to store payment details or upload a photo showing your face, your own username and the text "xHamster.com".

xHamster has not yet officially announced the new features. "I don't want to go into too much detail," writes Hawkins. The more xHamster talked about the restrictions, the more people would try to bypass them. "I think once we can see what's effective, maybe we can talk a little more."

xHamster: "That has to change"
Hawkins talks about the possibilities that malicious actors now have when it comes to uploading photos and videos. "We don't believe that the current systems were prepared for it - neither the technological measures nor the moderation by humans."

In 2019, Hawkins spoke to VICE of "sexual freedom of speech" - explaining why xHamster left some videos online that gave the appearance of sexual v******e. Today Hawkins writes: xHamster has often given its users a lot of freedom. "That needs to change."

VICE has already seen at least small changes. According to the online archive service archive.org, the "Voyeur" category was still visible on the xHamster homepage until December 18. This also includes recordings of people who were allegedly secretly filmed or photographed, for example in the sauna or on the toilet.

Several xHamster volunteer firefighters had told VICE that they should just leave dubious "voyeur" recordings online. On December 18th, the "Voyeur" category disappeared from the homepage. The "Teen" category has since become the "Teen 18+" category.

xHamster apparently does less than Pornhub
"Something is happening here right now," confirms one of the volunteer fire extinguishers who is viewing new photo uploads for xHamster without paying. But he has no further information. It is also largely unknown how xHamster reviews uploaded videos.

A petition is currently running in Germany calling for stronger rights for those affected by sexual v******e on porn platforms. More than 60,000 signatures have now been collected. The co-initiator of the petition, Anna Nackt, told VICE: "Many of those affected will be relieved that their stolen pictures can no longer be distributed anonymously." Nevertheless, xHamster is far from really effectively protecting those affected.

In the meantime, one of xHamster's biggest competitors is also being criticized internationally: Pornhub, the second most visited porn site in Germany. Recordings of alleged sexual v******e were also circulated on Pornhub. But the platform has taken a more drastic step. She has deleted millions of recordings from non-verified users until further notice. The anonymous upload of videos has been switched off. Shortly before, Mastercard and Visa had withdrawn from Pornhub.

xHamster, on the other hand, has only lost one payment service provider so far. As Der Spiegel first reported, Klarna withdrew from xHamster against the background of the VICE research.

However, xHamster spokesman Hawkins does not attribute the current upheavals to VICE publications alone. There was "not a single incident" that caused this. Media reports, among other things, have "reinforced" the "determination" of xHamster.

23.12.20