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Woman claims videos of her being abused as a child were uploaded to 'Pornhub' sites
Summary
In a preliminary application before Mr Justice Mark Sanfey at the High Court, an American woman, referred to as Jane Doe, sought permission to proceed under a pseudonym in a damages action against entities within the AYLO group, formerly MindGeek. The applicant alleges that she was drugged and raped as a minor, with recordings of the abuse subsequently uploaded to adult video sharing sites, including Pornhub, owned by the defendants. She claims these videos were distributed in violation of US laws and seeks parallel proceedings in Ireland, alleging that Irish entities hold substantial assets. The defendants, including AYLO Billing Limited and Mirmay Limited, deny all allegations of wrongdoing. The applicant seeks aggravated and exemplary damages for alleged breaches of duty, GDPR, conspiracy, and privacy rights, along with orders to remove the images, identify uploaders, and preserve Irish assets below US$630m pending the outcome of actions in Ireland and the US. Counsel Jarlath Ryan BL argued that the applicant's safety and life were at risk if her identity were publicized, and that she would face stigmatisation. Mr Justice Sanfey acknowledged the unusual circumstances and the court's inherent jurisdiction to grant anonymity, ruling that the defendants would not be prejudiced. The court granted the order, allowing the applicant to bring her proceedings under the pseudonym Jane Doe.
Who, what, where, when and why
What: Report matter: Woman claims videos of her being abused as a child were uploaded to 'Pornhub' sites. Procedural stage: hearing_or_decision
When:
- 2023-10-26 Publication
Case subjects
Applicant
Places mentioned
- St Mary's Place
- Dublin
- High Court
Topics
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