The crusade against pornographic sites continues in Europe. The European Union announced on Tuesday, May 27, the opening of an investigation into the pornographic platforms Pornhub, Stripchat, XNXX, and XVideos. In the crosshairs of the justice system, the companies are (once again) suspected of not taking sufficient measures to prevent minors from accessing their content.
The European Union is raising its voice
This initiative, supported by the new Digital Services Regulation, could mark a decisive turning point in the regulation of adult platforms and the protection of young people on the Internet. The lack of age verification tools, and the simplicity with which a young user can self-declare themselves an adult with a single click, continues to be a cause for concern.
This approach is part of the Digital Services Act, which came into force in 2024, and which imposes reinforced obligations on very large online platforms in terms of moderation, transparency, and user protection, particularly for young users. In detail, the DSA requires platforms to implement proportionate measures to limit the risks of minors being exposed to inappropriate content. These measures include age verification, the integration of parental control tools, and the ability for young users to report abuse or seek help.
In the event of proven violations, the penalties are severe: up to 6% of the global turnover of the company concerned, or even a ban on operating on the European market in the event of serious and repeated violations. And the least we can say is that there are many shortcomings. In France, nearly 40% of children access pornographic sites every month, according to a study by Arcom carried out in the first half of 2024.
In France, the SREN law (Securing and Regulating the Digital Space) has strengthened the powers of Arcom, which can now demand the blocking or delisting of recalcitrant sites, including those established outside the European Union. Since January 2025, pornographic sites must implement age verification that complies with a strict technical framework, validated by the CNIL, which notably requires double anonymity and two-factor authentication.
However, for platforms located in the EU, the situation remains more complex. They fall primarily under European law, and the French justice system is awaiting a decision from the Court of Justice of the EU (CJEU) on the compatibility of the blocking measures with the free movement of services.
A strong signal to the digital industry
The investigation opened by the European Commission is part of a broader effort to hold digital giants accountable. After targeting social networks and search engines, the EU is now tackling the pornography sector, which has long remained on the margins of regulation. The stated objective: to ensure that everything that is illegal offline is also illegal online.
If the violations are confirmed, the platforms concerned could face record fines or even be excluded from the European market. Beyond the issue of pornography, it is Europe's ability to impose its standards for the protection of minors on the entire digital ecosystem that is at stake in this tug-of-war.
0 Comments