RedTube, a well-known adult video-sharing platform, achieved significant recognition in September 2009, entering the Alexa rankings as one of the top 100 websites globally. This site, along with others, falls under the ownership of Aylo. Despite a dip in its ranking by June 2010, RedTube managed to climb back into prominence by mid-2012. As of mid-September 2020, it was ranked 520th according to Alexa.
| Field | Information |
| Type of site | Pornographic video sharing |
| Available in | Multilingual |
| Headquarters | Houston, Texas, United States |
| Owner | Aylo[1] |
| URL | www.redtube.com |
| Registration | Optional |
| Launched | April 25, 2007; 16 years ago[2] |
| Current status | Online |
| Content license | Free; redtubeplatinum.com is proprietary |
The site’s clever, non-explicit name, drawing a parallel with YouTube, contributed significantly to its widespread acceptance. RedTube operates from Houston, Texas, with additional server locations in San Francisco, New Orleans, and Montreal, supporting its vast user base and content library.
Historical Insights
In December 2007, Wired highlighted RedTube.com as one of the fastest-growing online platforms. However, the journey wasn’t without its hurdles. October 2008 saw the site’s database compromised and temporarily disabled by Turkish hackers. A year later, it became one of twelve adult sites to be banned by a Sri Lankan court, accused of corrupting society with images of local women and children. Further challenges arose in September 2013 when Russia blocked access to a video on the site, citing the Federal Law On Protection of Children from Information Harmful to Their Health and Development. A significant setback occurred in 2018 when the Indian government, following a Uttarakhand High Court order linked to a rape case where the accused were reportedly inspired by online porn, banned RedTube among other websites.
Viewer Engagement
By 2009, RedTube, YouPorn, and Pornhub collectively amassed 100 million unique visitors, showcasing the substantial demand for adult content online. These sites, later acquired by MindGeek, represent a significant portion of the global digital adult entertainment market.
Legal Controversies in Germany
December 2013 marked a contentious period for RedTube when a German law firm, Urmann und Collegen (U+C), issued up to 30,000 cease and desist letters to individuals in Germany. These letters accused recipients of viewing streams containing copyrighted videos on RedTube and demanded payment of fines, sparking widespread controversy and debate about privacy and copyright enforcement online. The method used by the law firm to identify the IP addresses of RedTube users raised questions, particularly after it was revealed that a company named ITGuards, Inc., allegedly used proprietary software to track viewers’ activities on the site.
This incident, reported by the BBC, prompted a retrospective review by the court in Cologne, recognizing the unprecedented legal action taken for merely streaming content from a website. The case in Germany highlighted the evolving challenges and legal considerations in the age of online streaming and copyright laws, setting a precedent for how such cases might be handled in the future.
