Hush Hush, MindGeek Ask Court to Dismiss Infringement Suit

Hush Hush, MindGeek Ask Court to Dismiss Infringement Suit

MIAMI — Hush Hush Entertainment has apparently settled copyright infringement claims it brought up last year against adult entertainment conglomerate MindGeek.

The legal feud between the companies got underway last summer, with Hush Hush filing suit against MindGeek in October, alleging it turned a blind eye or encouraged copyright infringement after it found 47 instances of its content on PornHubPremium.com.

On Friday, both parties asked a federal judge in Miami for a voluntary dismissal of the entire complaint in the civil action. A federal judge has yet to sign off on Friday’s voluntary dismissal stipulation.

The filing did not disclose terms of the apparent settlement, but the parties would bear their own attorneys fees.

In its original complaint, Hush Hush, which operates “mega-pass” membership sitesHushPass.com and InterracialPass.com, said it found the separate copyright registered works over 304 separate and distinct URLs on PornHubPremium.com.

Hush Hush noted in the suit that because PornHubPremium.com launched in August, the infringing porn uploads predate the development of the monthly subscription site and weren’t transmitted by members. 

“These [infringing] works are purported by defendants to have been uploaded by third-party Internet users,” the suit said. “However, since the uploads predate the development of PornHubPremium.com, they clearly could not have been uploaded to the PornHubPremium.com website by such third parties.”

In the suit, Hush Hush further said that MindGeek is “well aware of the massive infringement occurring on PornHubPremium.com.”

Hush Hush’s suit sought statutory damages of $150,000 for each of the 47 acts of alleged infringement, along with an injunction, attorneys fees and a transfer of the domain name PornHubPremium.com.

Hush Hush’s suit named the various MindGeek properties as defendants, as well as executive Feras Antoon.

MindGeek officials did not respond by XBIZ post time for questions surrounding the apparent settlement deal. Hush Hush counsel Brooks Miller declined comment to XBIZ.

View stipulation of voluntary dismissal

Copyright © 2024 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

Justices Alito, Thomas Invoke Victorian-Era Morality Law, Raising Censorship Concerns

Several national publications reported this week on widespread concern among Free Speech advocates after U.S. Supreme Court Justices Samuel Alito and Clarence Thomas repeatedly invoked during a hearing the infamous segregation-era law the Comstock Act, which was the cornerstone of U.S. censorship of sexual material from the 1870s until the 1970s.

Skinfluential Management's FansFuel Acquires Fanwire

Creator stats and affiliate marketing platform FansFuel has acquired creator account management tool Fanwire.

Nebraska AV Bill Moves Forward Despite Privacy, Free Speech Concerns

Nebraska’s unicameral Legislature has given first-round approval to LB 1092, the state’s version of the age verification bills being sponsored around the country by anti-porn religious conservative activists.

AEBN Celebrates 25th Anniversary

The Adult Entertainment Broadcast Network (AEBN) is celebrating its 25th year in business this week.

Performers in Meta Blacklisting Lawsuit Seek to Preserve Antitrust Claims

Adult Performance Artists Guild board officers Alana Evans, Kelly Pierce and Ruby have informed a California court that, although they want to drop their lawsuit claiming that Meta conspired with OnlyFans to blacklist rival premium fan platforms’ talent, they may still pursue antitrust claims in the future.

FSC, Co-Plaintiffs to Ask US Supreme Court to Review Constitutionality of Texas Age Verification Law

Free Speech Coalition (FSC) and its co-plaintiffs in the challenge to Texas’ controversial age verification law have petitioned the United States Court of Appeals for the 5th Circuit to stay its recent decision upholding the law, because they intend to appeal to the U.S. Supreme Court to review the law’s constitutionality.

FSC Vows to Fight Florida Age Verification Law

Free Speech Coalition (FSC) has issued a statement vowing to continue fighting Florida’s new age verification law, which was signed by Gov. Ron DeSantis on Monday as part of a comprehensive bill targeting minors’ use of social media.

Kansas Republican Aims to Create New Bureaucracy to 'Investigate' Porn Websites

Republican state legislators succeeded Monday in moving forward Kansas’ version of the age verification bills being sponsored around the country by anti-porn religious conservative activists, despite serious concerns raised by House Democrats about the cost of establishing a new bureaucracy tasked with investigating websites for pornographic content.

SK Intertainment Launches 'Skinfluential Management' Agency, FansFuel Joint Venture

Mr. Skin/Mr. Man parent company SK Intertainment has launched new creator agency Skinfluential Management, as well as a new joint venture with Showbizz Media's creator stats and affiliate marketing platform, FansFuel.

Industry Attorney, Free Speech Champion Clyde DeWitt Passes Away at 75

Noted industry attorney Clyde DeWitt passed away on Friday in Las Vegas at 75, according to friends and colleagues.

Show More