I don't know if people know about this (because it has been a while) but the world's largest pornographic company is now solely accepting cryptocurrency as its primary source of payment.
https://news.bitcoin.com/pornhubs-premium-services-crypto-payments-13-digital-assets-supported/"Pornhub is leveraging the payment processor Probiller and the service supports bitcoin (BTC), bitcoin cash (BCH), dash (DASH), ethereum (ETH), ethereum classic (ETC), litecoin (LTC), monero (XMR), nem (XEM), tether (USDT), tron (TRX), verge (XVG), waves (WAVES), and zcash (ZEC)." - Bitcoin.com
This move by Pornhub follows Mastercard and VISA cutting ties with the company earlier after allegations that the site allowed the widespread dispersal of videos that included child abuse and nonconsensual activity. These allegations were actually confirmed by an investigation by Mastercard and are being confirmed by a second investigation from VISA.
https://edition.cnn.com/2020/12/14/business/mastercard-visa-discover-pornhub/index.html#:~:text=%22Given%20the%20allegations%20of%20illegal,CNN%20Business%20in%20a%20statement.
"The use of our cards at Pornhub is being terminated. Our investigation over the past several days has confirmed violations of our standards prohibiting unlawful content on their site. As a result, and in accordance with our policies, we instructed the financial institutions that connect the site to our network to terminate acceptance." - Mastercard
What this mean for the site is that it cannot accept anything but crypto. In terms of adoption this is perhaps a first for crypto. Pornhub (apparently) is the 10th most viewed site on the internet.
BUT think about all those people who were hurt because of this illegal activity. I think Mastercard and VISA did the right thing to stand up for the truth and justice by cutting ties with the site, despite their financial losses. On a moral standpoint, crypto is not doing the right thing. It isn't supporting what is ethical.
Furthermore, I personally think that this isn't a good image for crypto as it shows that at its core, crypto has the capacity to support and fund illegal activity. This event has had sufficient coverage by media and the fact that crypto replaced the financial services of a site that distribut(es)/(ed) and foster(s)/(ed) illegal activity sends a global message about the true capacities of cryptocurrency. It shows that they are above the law and have enormous capacities for criminal use.
And for crypto to be majorly adopted first by a pornographic company, that itself sends a message about the moral/ethical values of crypto. Thus I think it becomes detrimental to some sense not having a third-party who can regulate this sort of stuff. Because Bitcoin has no overruling organisation to make decision about it, it has no sense of morals or ethics.
I'm not an anti-crypto activist or anything. I love a lot of things about Bitcoin. But I think this is a step in the wrong direction for crypto (despite the adoption benefits). What do people think about this?