LONDON: The European Union has announced new requirements for three of the world’s largest porn websites, including Pornhub, XVideos, and Stripchat. These requirements include verifying the ages of users to ensure safety on the Internet. The European Commission has classified these websites as “very large online platforms” due to their 45 million average monthly users, making them subject to more stringent controls under the Digital Services Act.
These are the first porn sites to be targeted under the sweeping Digital Services Act, which aims to keep users safe from illegal content and dodgy products on online platforms. Violations of the DSA can result in fines of up to 6% of global revenue or a ban on operating in the EU. In addition to the porn sites, 19 other online platforms and search engines, including TikTok, Amazon, Facebook, Instagram, and Google, have been identified for stricter scrutiny under the DSA.
While Pornhub has disputed its status as a very large online platform, stating it has 33 million average monthly users, XVideos and Stripchat have not responded to requests for comment. The DSA also includes provisions to protect children by preventing them from accessing pornographic content online, including with age verification tools. This is part of the EU’s efforts to address concerns about privacy and discrimination that come with implementing such methods.
The law also calls for measures to curb the risk of spreading illegal content online, such as child sexual abuse material, or content that breaches fundamental rights like privacy, such as non-consensual images or deepfake porn. Online platforms are required to adapt their terms and conditions, interfaces, moderation processes, or algorithms to meet these measures.
The Digital Services Act came into effect for the biggest online platforms in August, and includes requirements such as carrying out risk assessments, giving researchers access to publicly available data, and filing regular transparency reports. In addition to the new requirements for porn websites, the EU has used the law to crack down on Elon Musk’s social media platform X, previously known as Twitter, by opening an investigation into whether it failed to do enough to stop the spread of illegal content such as hate speech or incitement of terrorism. – AP
