Passes, a direct-to-fan monetization platform for creators backed by $40 million in Series A funding, has been sued for allegedly distributing Youngster Sexual Abuse Materials (also called CSAM). Whereas its tips don’t enable for creators to publish nude images or movies, versus rivals like OnlyFans, a creator has sued Passes, alleging that the corporate produced, possessed, and bought sexually express content material that includes her when she was a minor.
The lawsuit, filed by creator Alice Rosenblum, was first reported by The Information.
Along with the corporate itself, the lawsuit was introduced towards Alec Celestin and Lani Ginoza — two people who’re described within the lawsuit as “brokers” for Passes — in addition to Passes founder and CEO Lucy Guo.
Rosenblum claims that every defendant was conscious each that she was a minor and that the corporate allegedly possessed sexually express content material of her.
Passes acknowledged that Guo had no involvement and instructed TechCrunch that there’s “no file or recollection” of Guo interacting with Rosenblum.
Whatever the lawsuit’s end result, the case highlights questions on how fan platforms can be utilized to distribute unlawful content material.
“The lawsuit’s declare that Passes knowingly courted content material creators for the aim of posting inappropriate materials is totally and completely false,” a Passes spokesperson, Alex Worsham, instructed TechCrunch in a press release. “We can’t state this place extra firmly. To the extent there was misconduct right here, it lies with the plaintiff’s expertise supervisor, Alec Celestin.”
Celestin didn’t reply to TechCrunch’s request for remark.
Rosenblum alleges that Celestin — previously Director of Model & Neighborhood at Fanfix, the same creator platform — groomed her and directed her to take express images and movies of herself when she was seventeen. Within the days main as much as her birthday this previous September, Rosenblum claims that Celestin approached her with concepts for an 18th birthday advertising and marketing marketing campaign to advertise the express photos she alleges she created as a minor.
Rosenblum additional alleges that Guo intervened to personally override security measures inside Passes that she claims would have flagged her content material as CSAM (youngster sexual abuse materials). A Passes spokesperson has denied this allegation.
Whereas Rosenblum’s lawsuit describes Celestin as an “agent” working with Passes, the corporate instructed TechCrunch that Celestin is “a former social media contractor who has gone to nice lengths to brighten his relationship with our firm.”
Celestin seems alongside Instagram posts alongside Guo, together with images celebrating milestones in Passes’ improvement.
Celestin has additionally been linked with Passes in a lawsuit from January 2024, through which Celestin’s former employer, Fanfix, accused him of sharing firm secrets and techniques with Passes. On the time, Guo denied that declare.
“Passes is a no-nudity platform,” the corporate instructed TechCrunch. “The declare that Passes would knowingly help in distributing sexually express photos — days earlier than a creator’s 18th birthday, no much less — is each defamatory and is senseless.”
The corporate just isn’t marketed as an OnlyFans rival, as a substitute working with mainstream celebrities comparable to NBA legend Shaquille O’Neil, NCAA gymnast Olivia Dunne, and file producer Kygo.
In a weblog publish from December, Passes stated that it strictly prohibits express content material and makes use of automated content material moderation instruments as a primary protection to scan for violative posts. (AI is an space of experience for Guo, who co-founded the unicorn Scale AI). In response to Passes, it employs a belief and security staff to overview flagged content material and decide compliance with firm tips.
“The plaintiff and her supervisor, Alec Celestin, in the end moved to OnlyFans as a result of [Rosenblum’s] content material saved getting flagged on our platform,” Passes instructed TechCrunch.
Passes says it makes use of the industry-standard instrument Microsoft PhotoDNA to robotically scan all photos for CSAM, which might then be reported to the Nationwide Heart for Lacking & Exploited Youngsters (NCMEC), as is typical protocol for on-line platforms. In its December post, Passes acknowledged that Microsoft PhotoDNA had not flagged any situations of CSAM on the platform.
“Ms. Rosenblum appears ahead to acquiring justice for herself and different victims like her from all defendants,” mentioned Rodney Villazor, a lawyer representing Rosenblum. “Every defendant must reply for his or her personal actions in court docket, not on social media.”
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