Guardian

Pornhub and three other adult websites face EU child safety investigation

Daily Mail

Pornhub is investigated in child protection probe

Metaculus

Internet Freedom to Decline until 2025

The European Commission has initiated formal investigations into four major pornographic websites - Pornhub, Stripchat, XNXX, and XVideos - under the Digital Services Act (DSA) for allegedly failing to implement effective measures to prevent minors from accessing adult content.</span

BostonGlobe.com

The European Commission has initiated formal investigations into four major pornographic websites - Pornhub, Stripchat, XNXX, and XVideos - under the Digital Services Act (DSA) for allegedly failing to implement effective measures to prevent minors from accessing adult content.

The investigation focuses on the platforms' inadequate age verification systems, which currently only require users to self-declare their age through a simple one-click process, deemed insufficient for protecting minors from accessing explicit material.</span

Australian

The investigation focuses on the platforms' inadequate age verification systems, which currently only require users to self-declare their age through a simple one-click process, deemed insufficient for protecting minors from accessing explicit material.

Under the DSA framework, platforms failing to comply with child protection regulations could face substantial penalties of up to 6 percent of their global annual revenue or potential operating bans in the European Union for repeated violations.</span

Dw.Com

Under the DSA framework, platforms failing to comply with child protection regulations could face substantial penalties of up to 6 percent of their global annual revenue or potential operating bans in the European Union for repeated violations.

The European Commission is developing its own age-verification application, scheduled for release by summer, which will allow platforms to verify users' age without revealing additional personal information.</span

The European Commission is developing its own age-verification application, scheduled for release by summer, which will allow platforms to verify users' age without revealing additional personal information.

Pornhub's parent company Aylo has acknowledged the investigation, stating their commitment to online safety while advocating for device-level age verification rather than website-based solutions.</span

PCMag UK

Pornhub's parent company Aylo has acknowledged the investigation, stating their commitment to online safety while advocating for device-level age verification rather than website-based solutions.

The EU is simultaneously working with member states to ensure smaller pornographic platforms comply with the same regulations, establishing uniform enforcement of the DSA across the bloc.</span

The EU is simultaneously working with member states to ensure smaller pornographic platforms comply with the same regulations, establishing uniform enforcement of the DSA across the bloc.

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Daily Mail #1

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The current age verification measures are completely inadequate and pose serious risks to children's mental and physical well-being. These platforms have consistently prioritized profit over protection, allowing easy access through simple self-declaration systems that can be easily circumvented. The EU's strict enforcement approach through the DSA is essential to create a safer online environment for minors.

The current age verification measures are completely inadequate and pose serious risks to children's mental and physical well-being. These platforms have consistently prioritized profit over protection, allowing easy access through simple self-declaration systems that can be easily circumvented. The EU's strict enforcement approach through the DSA is essential to create a safer online environment for minors.

90F67C4Ac6B9Af1380E2Fec07Da5E1D

Website-based age verification systems could drive users toward less regulated platforms, potentially creating greater risks for both minors and adult privacy. The solution lies in implementing device-level age verification rather than forcing individual websites to manage this process, which could compromise user privacy and security while being ultimately ineffective.

Website-based age verification systems could drive users toward less regulated platforms, potentially creating greater risks for both minors and adult privacy. The solution lies in implementing device-level age verification rather than forcing individual websites to manage this process, which could compromise user privacy and security while being ultimately ineffective.

EU investigates Pornhub and other porn sites over child safety

Will Pornhub Get Blocked in Europe? EU Regulators Open Age-Verification Probe

Leon Neal/Staff/Getty Images News via Getty Images

Leon Neal/Staff/Getty Images News via Getty Images

EU Launches Probe into Major Porn Sites Over Child Safety

Children and youth

Computers & internet

Europe

Pornography & obscenity

The EU's probe is long overdue. Big Tech and pornography platforms have repeatedly demonstrated callous disregard for child safety, prioritizing profits over protection while enabling predators and grooming vulnerable youth. These corporate giants cannot be trusted to self-regulate—aggressive regulatory intervention is absolutely essential to safeguard our children.

The EU's probe is long overdue. Big Tech and pornography platforms have repeatedly demonstrated callous disregard for child safety, prioritizing profits over protection while enabling predators and grooming vulnerable youth. These corporate giants cannot be trusted to self-regulate—aggressive regulatory intervention is absolutely essential to safeguard our children.

New York Times

What People at Pornhub Were Thinking When It Shared Videos of Child Rape - The New York Times

Pursuit

Big tech and porn platforms are the real perpetrators behind 'sickening' deepfakes

Age-verification systems are fundamentally flawed technological Band-Aids that fail spectacularly in practice. Users simply migrate to non-compliant platforms or employ VPNs, while these invasive tools create massive privacy vulnerabilities and exclude legitimate users. The EU's faith in such demonstrably ineffective surveillance measures is profoundly misguided.

Age-verification systems are fundamentally flawed technological Band-Aids that fail spectacularly in practice. Users simply migrate to non-compliant platforms or employ VPNs, while these invasive tools create massive privacy vulnerabilities and exclude legitimate users. The EU's faith in such demonstrably ineffective surveillance measures is profoundly misguided.

Mashable

Do age-verification laws work? Not according to this study.

EuroNews

The sledgehammer approach of age verification tools won't make the internet safer

There is a 95% chance Freedom House will report that internet freedom has declined every year until 2025, according to the Metaculus prediction  community.

There is a 95% chance Freedom House will report that internet freedom has declined every year until 2025, according to the Metaculus prediction community.

EU Launches Probe into Major Porn Sites Over Child Safety

EU Launches Probe into Major Porn Sites Over Child Safety

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EU Launches Probe into Major Porn Sites Over Child Safety

EU Launches Probe into Major Porn Sites Over Child Safety

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