YouTube has suddenly blocked Pornhub's official channel. According to Google's official statement as the parent of YouTube, Pornhub has violated a number of policies.
YouTube spokesman Jack Malon said the Pornhub channel violated YouTube's external linking policy which prohibits users from providing links for unauthorized content, including pornography.
"After review, we are terminating the Pornhub Official channel following multiple violations of our Community Guidelines," Malon said in an official statement to The Verge, as quoted by us.
"We enforce our policies equally for everyone, and channels that violate multiple times or are dedicated to violating content will be shut down."
Pornhub has had an official channel on YouTube since December 2014. Before it closed, the channel had nearly 900,000 subscribers. Now the channel URL shows a 404 error when opened.
Although known as an adult video platform, Pornhub shares safe-for-work content promoting the site and its models. They also set an age limit of 18 years or older for all of their videos. A spokesperson for Pornhub also denied claims that it had ever uploaded or linked adult content.
"Pornhub maintains the best security and trust measures on the internet and takes great care to ensure we do not violate any of YouTube's Community Guidelines," said a Pornhub spokesperson who wished to remain anonymous.
"Unfortunately, this is just the latest example of discrimination against people in the adult content industry, a trend seen in social media and all other aspects of life, especially as groups dishonestly equate consensual adult content with exploitation."
The news of the Pornhub channel's disappearance from YouTube comes months after Instagram permanently banned the Pornhub account. Instagram said at the time that Pornhub violated its policies on nudity, adult content and sexual advances.
Just like YouTube, Instagram claims Pornhub invites users to leave the site to view adult content. Pornhub responded to the block with an open letter criticizing Instagram.