Webmasters Complain Yahoo Is Ripping Them Off

LOS ANGELES — Adult webmasters are echoing a claim Perfect 10 owner Norman Zada has made for years: Search engines erode the value of content from adult websites by serving it up to searchers without authorization and without offering anything in return to the sites the content comes from.

More specifically, some search engines point directly to files rather than the pages that contains the files, allowing searchers to view images or video without visiting the website that hosts the image. What’s more, most search engines do not make it clear to searchers that the images they find are not public domain property, leaving images vulnerable to theft.

In February, Zada won a preliminary injunction against Google to prevent it from linking to full-size images belonging to his company. He argued that Perfect 10 had spent $36 million over the past nine years building its brand, including $12 million spent capturing 800 models in photos.

Zada sued both Google and Amazon.com, which licenses the technology in question from Google. The court granted the preliminary injunction, stating that Google’s linking practices likely amounted to copyright infringement.

Now adult webmasters are feeling Zada’s pain, prompting a post on GFY titled “Yahoo rapes mgp's and makes their own porn video service.”

The post includes a link to a Yahoo page — actually multiple pages — containing hundreds of videos lifted directly from Jerk-Off-TGP.com.

“Pretty fucking ballsy,” poster Smoky the Bear wrote. “They basically recorded every video link on the entire site and are redisplaying them without giving one link back to the site they raped them from. Why would any surfer go to jerk-off-tgp when they can get it all in one easy format from yahoo, just straight videos?”

Adult webmasters aren’t the only ones angry at search engines. Earlier this year, the Motion Picture Association of America sued IsoHunt.com and TorrentBox.com for allegedly providing links to illegal copies of movies and TV shows. In 2005, the Authors Guild and several of its members, including a former Poet Laureate of the U.S., filed a class action suit in federal court in Manhattan against Google over its scanning and copying of books. And Search Engine Watch has called search engines the “weapons of mass destruction of copyright infringement.”

However, there have not been any definitive legal decisions regarding how far search engines can go and what they can do.

Also, a portion of the Digital Millennium Copyright Act known as the DMCA takedown provisions provides safe harbor to online service providers that promptly take down content if someone alleges an infringes of a copyright.

Copyright © 2025 Adnet Media. All Rights Reserved. XBIZ is a trademark of Adnet Media.
Reproduction in whole or in part in any form or medium without express written permission is prohibited.

More News

UPDATED: Supreme Court Rules Against Adult Industry in Pivotal Texas AV Case

The U.S. Supreme Court on Friday issued its decision in Free Speech Coalition v. Paxton, striking a blow against the online adult industry by ruling in support of Texas’ controversial age verification law, HB 1181.

North Carolina Passes Extreme Bill Targeting Adult Sites

The North Carolina state legislature this week ratified a bill that would impose new regulations that industry observers have warned could push adult websites and platforms to ban most adult creators and content.

Supreme Court Ruling Due Friday in FSC v. Paxton AV Case

The U.S. Supreme Court will rule on Friday in Free Speech Coalition v. Paxton, the adult industry trade association's challenge to Texas’ controversial age verification law, HB 1181.

Ofcom: More Porn Providers Commit to Age Assurance Measures

A number of adult content providers operating in the U.K. have confirmed that they plan to introduce age checks in compliance with the Online Safety Act by the July 25 deadline, according to U.K. media regulator Ofcom.

Aylo Says It Will Comply With UK Age Assurance Requirements

Tech and media company Aylo, which owns various adult properties including Pornhub, YouPorn and Redtube, plans to introduce age assurance methods in the United Kingdom that satisfy government rules under the Online Safety Act, the company has announced.

Kyrgyzstan Parliament Approves Measure Outlawing Internet Porn

The Supreme Council of Kyrgyzstan on Wednesday passed legislation outlawing online adult content in the country.

Trial Set for Lawsuit by U Wisconsin Professor Fired Over Adult Content

A trial date of June 22, 2026, has been set for the civil lawsuit filed by veteran communications professor Joe Gow against the University of Wisconsin board of regents, which fired him for creating and appearing in adult content.

New UK Task Force Meets to Target Adult Content

The architect of an influential report that recommended banning adult content deemed “degrading, violent and misogynistic” has convened an “Independent Pornography Review task force” aimed at translating that report’s findings into action in the U.K.

11:11 Creations Launches Affiliate Program

11:11 Creations principal Alicia Silver has launched 11:11 Cash for creators and affiliates.

Pineapple Support, Pornhub to Host 'Self Love' Support Group

Pineapple Support and Pornhub are hosting a free online support group for performers to develop self-love.

Show More