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LOS ANGELES — Dutch prosecutors and law enforcement authorities have moved to shut down the controversial tube platform Motherless.com, marking a major escalation in the growing international scrutiny surrounding the site.
The takedown effort appeared to begin Thursday. The Netherlands Public Prosecution Service confirmed to multiple news organizations that a preliminary investigation is underway to determine whether the site’s operators engaged in criminal conduct.
Dutch public broadcaster NOS reported that prosecutors acted following its own investigation alongside reporting by CNN in the United States. According to NOS, authorities determined that Netherlands-based hosting provider NFOrce Internet Services was hosting content tied to Motherless.com users.
Under mounting pressure, NFOrce informed the operators of Motherless.com that hosting services had been suspended pending the outcome of what the company described as an internal “abuse and compliance escalation” review.
“Following recent media publications and additional internal review, NFOrce initiated an enhanced compliance and abuse-handling review relating to Motherless.com,” the company said in a published statement.
NFOrce also released portions of correspondence sent to its listed point of contact for the site.
“Given the seriousness of the matters raised publicly, including allegations relating to potentially unlawful, exploitative, or non-consensual content categories, NFOrce requires your urgent written response and confirmation regarding the matters outlined below,” wrote NFOrce director Simon Elimeleh in the notice. “This review is being conducted as part of NFOrce’s ongoing abuse-handling, compliance, and risk assessment obligations as an infrastructure provider.”
NFOrce said the site’s operators were given between 12 and 24 hours to respond to several requests outlined in the letter, which was sent Thursday, May 7.
Among the demands were requirements for an “immediate content review and removal,” along with an audit of keywords, category tags, trust and safety procedures, and overall legal compliance practices.
“Failure to provide a complete and satisfactory response within the requested timeframe, failure to demonstrate appropriate remediation efforts, or failure to comply with applicable legal or contractual obligations may result in further review of the continuation of services, including possible suspension or termination measures where appropriate,” Elimeleh said.
Motherless.com has faced criticism for years over allegations involving illegal and non-consensual material, as well as widespread copyright infringement. Following detailed investigations published by CNN and NOS, pressure intensified on Dutch authorities to pursue legal action against the platform.
According to CNN’s reporting, investigators identified extensive amounts of abusive and unlawful content on the site. The report described the platform as part of what it called a global “rape academy,” including online groups where men allegedly discussed and encouraged sexual violence against partners and spouses. The investigation also documented videos depicting gender-based violence and alleged drug-facilitated assaults, including so-called “sleep” videos involving individuals believed to be unconscious or under the influence of drugs.
The platform has also faced regulatory pressure elsewhere in Europe. In the United Kingdom, digital regulator Ofcomhas been pursuing enforcement actions tied to age-verification requirements and other provisions under the Online Safety Act. Motherless previously received fines totaling nearly $1.1 million over compliance failures connected to those rules.
Motherless is reportedly operated by Kick Online Entertainment, a Luxembourg-registered entity. Dutch authorities are also examining other affiliated companies connected to the operation, including businesses reportedly based in Costa Rica and other jurisdictions.
