Aylo, the parent company of Pornhub, has declined to speculate on any connection between the alleged Montreal shooter and its headquarters, following a fatal shooting that left two dead and shattered windows at its office building.
Company Statement on Tragedy
In an email to National Post on Tuesday, Aylo acknowledged media reports 'discussing a possible connection to Aylo and Pornhub.' However, the company said that since the investigation 'remains ongoing … we will not speculate on motive or share unconfirmed information.'
Instead, Aylo expressed 'our deepest condolences to the families and loved ones of Const. Mohamed Lamine Benredouane and Michael Moshe Mizrahi, as well as to the Montreal Police Service (SPVM) and everyone affected by this horrific tragedy.' The company added, 'The safety of our community is our highest priority, whether that be our dedicated employees, our online community, or the city of Montreal, which a large part of our team proudly calls home.'
Shooter's Manifesto and Motive
The alleged shooter, identified as Seth Hatfield, reportedly wrote a manifesto aiming to create a 'new order' that would curtail women's sexual freedoms. According to The Guardian, the manifesto specifically mentioned targeting 'the headquarters of international pornography companies.'
The alleged shooter pointed to pornography companies as part of the modern capitalistic state responsible for creating a 'hypergamy state,' in which women are enabled to favor 'a plethora of attractive males' rather than being bound 'legalistically and culturally' to just one. The manifesto is said to be laden with incel ideology, according to reports.
Background on Aylo and Controversies
Aylo, formerly known as MindGeek, has faced previous controversies regarding its handling of user content. XBiz reported in 2024 that the company was the subject of a 2015 complaint filed by an unidentified woman whose boyfriend uploaded intimate content to Pornhub without her consent.
Canada's privacy commissioner investigated the complaint and found that Aylo failed in its legal obligation to obtain the complainant's consent, and also failed more broadly in ensuring meaningful consent was obtained from individuals appearing in its content. The commissioner's report stated that 'changes to MindGeek's practices in 2020, and since, have not remedied this contravention.'
Impact and Response
The shooting, reported by the Montreal Gazette, left visible damage to the windows of Aylo's headquarters. Two people were killed: Const. Mohamed Lamine Benredouane and Michael Moshe Mizrahi. Aylo expressed gratitude to first responders who 'bravely protected us and ensured that none of our employees were physically harmed.'
