BRUSSELS — The European Commission is demanding that three of the world’s largest pornography websites — Pornhub, XVideos, and Stripchat — detail the measures they have implemented to better protect minors from accessing their content and prevent gender-based violence.
The request, made under the European Union’s Digital Services Act (DSA), imposes stringent requirements on internet platforms to enhance user safety. The companies, facing potential fines, must provide the information by July 4.
Pornhub, XVideos, and Stripchat have been designated as “very large online platforms” under the DSA due to their 45 million average monthly users, subjecting them to more rigorous controls.
“The Commission is requesting the companies to provide more detailed information on the measures they have taken to diligently assess and mitigate risks related to the protection of minors online, as well as to prevent the amplification of illegal content and gender-based violence,” the European Commission stated on Thursday.
The EU aims to ascertain the safeguards in place to ensure that viewers are not underage. Currently, many pornographic platforms only require a user to click a “yes” box confirming they are 18 or older to gain access.
The Commission also seeks explanations on how these companies have adjusted their internal structures to comply with the DSA.
“The DSA indeed requires designated very large online platforms to equip themselves with independent and well-resourced internal teams with sufficient authority and resources, as well as access to the management body,” the European Commission said.
Last year, Pornhub disputed its classification as a very large online platform under the DSA, citing a statement on its website claiming 33 million average monthly users.
Various jurisdictions, including France, Germany, Britain, and U.S. states such as Utah and Texas, have proposed laws requiring porn sites to verify users’ ages through methods like checking credit cards, government-issued IDs, or using facial recognition technology to estimate ages. However, these systems have sparked concerns about privacy and discrimination.
Europe’s digital law also mandates measures to mitigate the spread of illegal content online, such as child sexual abuse material, and content that infringes on fundamental rights like privacy, including nonconsensual images and deepfake porn.
