Groupon backs away from porn promos

Morality in Media ended a boycott against online coupon company Groupon after several of the company’s customers reported they were assured it is no longer affiliated with pornography companies and “sex-torture” tours.

WND reported just weeks ago that the boycott against Groupon was launched by Morality in Media’s PornHarms.com site for promoting a tour of San Francisco’s porn-filming company Kink.

Group also later promoted a trip to the Playboy mansion in which customers can “try to figure out which of the six Playboy bunnies in attendance has real fluffy ears.”

“Mainstream companies should stay far away from the sexual exploitation and abuse that is part and parcel of the mission of pornography companies,” said Patrick A. Trueman, MIM’s president. “Groupon offered deals not only for Kink but for an event at Playboy, the world’s top sexual exploiter.”

Trueman said Groupon officials declined to acknowledge to MIM that they changed their policy to prohibit coupons for porn-related activities.

But he told WND that he learned from a major chain of restaurants and another source inside the music industry that those companies’ officials had been told the policy was changed.

The names of the companies were not being released, but Trueman said in both instances his sources said Groupon representatives had assured them that there would be no more promotions of Kink “torture” sex videos and the like.

“We’ve had it confirmed by two companies,” Trueman said. “We are confident that it’s correct.”

He did say Morality in Media would “keep an eye” on Groupon.

“Many of us in the office use Groupon, so we have access,” he said.

During the two-month boycott, more than 20,000 individuals canceled their Groupon memberships through a Web page set up by MIM for the boycott, he said.

Others also undoubtedly participated on their own, he said.

“The Groupon national boycott demonstrates that large numbers of people are willing to take action to challenge pornography wherever it rears its ugly head,” said MIM’s executive director, Dawn Hawkins.

In the most recent controversy, a fantasy camp scenario was offered at the Playboy Mansion.

“As VIPs disembark from their shuttle, they’ll be beckoned by tour guides through the glamorous, stone-clad grounds to take a swim in the legendary grotto,” the Groupon promotion said.

Hawkins said Playboy “has done more to promote female sexual exploitation than any other entity in the world.”

The trigger, however, for the boycott, was when the War on Illegal Pornography coalition revealed Groupon was offering a $28 tour of the historic Armory in old San Francisco.

The problem, according to the coalition, is that the building now is the home of Kink.com, an Internet porn company.

“Groupon even advertises that groups may get to see a live filming in progress,” according to the anti-porn group.

Groupon, which declined to respond to a WND request for comment, told the War on Illegal Pornography “we strive to offer interesting and exciting deals that will appeal to our diverse customer base.”

The response, from “Christy A” in Groupon Customer Service, continued, “We thoroughly vet the businesses we feature, which is why we take these concerns seriously. Fortunately, this business has proven to be a responsible member of their community and the tour offered in this deal is historical and informational in nature.”

Kink.com says it specializes in the live filming of “young sexy teens who are overwhelmed and outnumbered” and of women being “bound, whipped, objectified and humiliated.”

The company’s stock, meanwhile, has been troubled. Officials say the stock plunged by as much as 10 percent on a recent day, and shares were down about 19 percent for the past week.

Groupon made its debut on the Nasdaq Nov. 4. It included a typical 180-day “lockup” agreement for insiders. That provision prevented certain early investors from unloading their Groupon shares until the end of the six-month period, which was Friday.