Several adult content websites, including Pornhub, Stripchat, XNXX, and XVideos, have been accused of violating European Union regulations that allow minors to access explicit content on their platforms, as stated by EU authorities on Thursday. This violation may result in significant fines.
These charges stem from a thorough 10-month investigation conducted under the Digital Services Act of the EU, which mandates that large online platforms take stronger measures to combat illegal and harmful content effectively.
Henna Virkkunen, the EU tech chief, emphasized the need for these platforms to implement robust, privacy-preserving, and efficient measures to prevent minors from accessing adult content at increasingly younger ages.
If found guilty of breaching the Digital Services Act, companies could face fines up to six percent of their global annual revenue.
The European Commission, responsible for enforcing the act, criticized the companies for not employing objective and comprehensive methodologies to assess the risks associated with minors accessing their services.
The regulator accused Pornhub, Stripchat, XNXX, and XVideos of prioritizing their reputations over societal concerns related to minors accessing explicit content.
The Commission also raised concerns about the companies’ self-declaration tool, allowing users to access their platforms with a simple click confirming they are over 18 years old.
According to the Commission, these tools, along with measures like page blurring and content warnings, have proven ineffective in preventing minors from accessing explicit content on these platforms.
The Commission emphasized the necessity for Pornhub, Stripchat, XNXX, and XVideos to implement age verification measures that prioritize privacy to shield minors from harmful content.
Snapchat Faces Scrutiny
Furthermore, the European Commission announced on Thursday that it has initiated a formal investigation into Snapchat under the Digital Services Act due to concerns that the platform is not adequately safeguarding children from risks such as exposure to child predators or exploitation by criminals.
Although Snapchat mandates users to be at least 13 years old to use the platform, the Commission suspects that the platform’s “age assurance” system is insufficient in preventing young users from accessing it.
Regulators expressed concerns that the system does not adequately verify if a user is below 17 years old, a crucial step to provide them with an