EU Probes Major Adult Platforms for Inadequate Child Protection

The European Commission has initiated a formal investigation into four leading adult websites—Pornhub, Stripchat, XNXX, and XVideos—over accusations of insufficient measures to prevent minors from accessing explicit content. This inquiry aligns with the Digital Services Act (DSA) regulations.

Since the DSA came into effect in 2022, it requires online platforms to implement robust age verification to protect children from harmful adult material. The Commission claims these websites have failed to meet these safety obligations adequately.

Henna Virkkunen, the European Commission’s executive vice president for tech sovereignty and digital democracy, emphasized the necessity of creating secure online environments where children can explore without encountering inappropriate content.

The Commission stated that platforms must prioritize children’s rights and interests by embedding “appropriate and proportionate” safeguards into their service design and functionality to effectively prevent minor users from exposure to harmful content.

In December 2023, Pornhub, Stripchat, and XVideos were classified as “very large online platforms” (VLOPs), subjecting them to stricter requirements for content moderation, transparency, and user protection under the DSA.

Stripchat was recently removed from the VLOP list after its average monthly active users in the EU dropped below the threshold. However, it remains obligated to maintain a high level of minor protection as per DSA guidelines.

To improve compliance, the EU is developing an age-verification app set to launch this summer. The app will enable users to prove they are over 18 without revealing additional personal information, balancing privacy and safety.

CNN reached out to the four platforms for comment on the ongoing investigation. As of now, there have been no public responses, leaving the status of their compliance efforts unclear.