EU Targets Adult Content Platforms for Child Protection Violations

The European Union has launched an investigation into leading adult content platforms, including Pornhub, Stripchat, XNXX, and XVideos, for allegedly failing to adhere to child protection guidelines mandated by the Digital Services Act. This move could result in significant fines that may reach up to 6% of their global annual revenue.

The European Commission disclosed that these platforms had not complied with regulations requiring comprehensive risk assessment and mitigation strategies to safeguard children from exposure to adult content. One crucial requirement under the Act is the implementation of effective age verification tools to prevent minors from accessing such materials.

Though platforms like Pornhub, operated by Aylo Freesites Ltd, assert compliance with RTA standards, the EU's tech chief, Henna Virkkunen, emphasizes the need for secure online environments for children. The EU plans coordinated actions against smaller adult content platforms to further protect child safety online.

(With inputs from agencies.)