EU Authorities Demanding Enhanced Child Safety Measures from Adult Content Producers - EU Commission alleges pornography platforms of neglecting child protection measures
The European Commission has initiated an investigation against four major pornographic providers for allegedly breaching regulations concerning the protection of minors. The Brussels-based Commission suspects these companies lack effective age verification measures, as they merely require users to self-declare that they are over 18 with a single click.
In the meantime, the Commission has announced a joint effort with national authorities in the EU's 27 member states to monitor smaller porn sites more closely. The Commission holds jurisdiction over online platforms that cater to over 45 million users in the EU each month. Offenses may lead to fines, which the companies can potentially avoid by implementing stricter age verification protocols during the investigation period.
One of the targeted companies, Pornhub, maintains its European headquarters in Cyprus, like several other providers under scrutiny—XNXX and XVideos, both part of the same parent company based in the Czech Republic. The company behind Pornhub, Aylo, asserts that its site caters only to adults, and it will abide by all applicable laws.
The Commission also intends to develop a unified, privacy-preserving age verification application within the scope of the Digital Services Act (DSA). This app, expected to be released in summer 2025, would potentially eliminate minors' access to age-restricted online content such as pornography, gambling, and alcohol. The upcoming EU Digital Identity Wallet, scheduled to launch by the end of 2026, may further enhance the security and seamlessness of this long-term solution.
It remains to be seen whether the targeted companies will adopt stricter age verification procedures during the investigation period. Simultaneously, the Commission continues to work with Member States and industry stakeholders to enforce tighter regulations concerning the protection of minors online.
- The European Commission's competition policy is also focusing on the pornographic industry, with a potential competition case against several providers for allegedly breaching competition rules.
- In the sphere of health-and-wellness and policy-and-legislation, science plays a crucial role in the Commission's plans to develop a unified, privacy-preserving age verification application as part of the Digital Services Act (DSA).
- As the European Commission ventures into politics by enforcing stricter regulations for protecting minors online, general news outlets discuss the potential implications of the Commission's new competition policy and forthcoming age verification app on the future of the adult content industry.
