EU probes four adult content sites for potential child safety violations
The European Commission has announced investigations into pornography platforms Pornhub, Stripchat, XNXX, and XVideos for inadequate age verification measures, potentially exposing minors to adult content.
As the EU's tech regulator, the commission has accused these platforms of lacking appropriate age verification tools, allowing access for those claiming to be over 18 without further screening.
A press functioning under the AFP banner revealed this discrepancy on Tuesday, managing to gain entry to all four platforms following a simple age confirmation step.
The commission found these platforms to be deficient in implementing adequate and proportionate measures to safeguard minors, maintain their privacy, safety, and security, and protect them from any adverse effects on their mental and physical well-being.
In light of these findings, the commission insists that online platforms prioritize the rights and best interests of children in the design and operation of their services.
Aylo, the parent company of Pornhub, has affirmed its commitment to ensuring minor protection online, promising full compliance with the law.
Under the EU's Digital Services Act (DSA), major tech companies are obliged to take more responsibility for safeguarding European users online. Notably, platforms with at least 45 million monthly active users in the EU are subject to stricter regulations by the commission, rather than national authorities.
Smaller platforms with inadequate age verification mechanisms will face collaboration with national authorities to align their practices with DSA guidelines.
The DSA, an essential part of the EU's legal arsenal against Big Tech, is set to regulate these platforms more effectively. The commission has initiated several probes under the DSA since 2023, including investigations into Meta's Facebook and Instagram, TikTok, and Elon Musk's X social media platform.
In an effort to further ensure child protection online, the EU invites public feedback and is developing an age-verification app.
While the launch of formal proceedings does not predetermine the investigation's outcome, violations, if proven, may result in fines of up to six percent of a company's global turnover. Recurring and serious violations may even lead to a ban on operating within Europe.
In parallel to these measures, the EU is soliciting public input to help create guidelines for child safety online. The deadline for public feedback is June 10, 2025, with estimates for the final guidelines by summer 2025.
Under the DSA, adult content platforms must employ robust age verification methods, often depending on verified government-issued IDs, implement risk assessments, and prioritize user privacy. The EU Digital Identity Wallet and an EU age verification app are potential solutions for future age verification procedures.
- To ensure the protection of children online and promote their education-and-self-development, the European Commission calls for technological innovations that deliver robust age verification methods, such as the EU Digital Identity Wallet and the planned EU age verification app.
- Concurrently, the commission demands that sports platforms and other online services prioritize children's rights and interests by adhering to age verification regulations, as outlined in the DSA, to prevent exposure to harmful content and maintain a safe environment for all users, especially minors.
