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EU begins probe into four porn platforms

The European Commission has opened investigations into four platforms providing pornographic content for suspected breaches on the Digital Services Act (DSA).

The EU body said that the investigation would focus on risks for protection of minors – including those linked to the absence of effective age-verification measures.

The formal proceedings are against Pornhub, Stripchat, XNXX, and XVideos.

The commission’s preliminary findings were that the platforms did not comply with putting in place:

• Appropriate and proportionate measures to ensure a high level of privacy, safety, and security for minors, in particular with age-verification tools to safeguard minors from adult content, and
• Risk-assessment and mitigation measures of any negative effects on the rights of the child, the mental and physical well-being of users, and to prevent minors from accessing adult content, notably via appropriate age-verification tools.

The EU body stressed that the opening of formal proceedings did not prejudge the outcome.

Smaller platforms

In addition, the commission said that EU member states, acting through the European Board for Digital Services, had launched a co-ordinated action to protect minors from pornographic content on smaller platforms.

These smaller platforms fall under the supervision of the respective national digital-services co-ordinators (DSCs) of the member state.

“The online space should be a safe environment for children to learn and connect,” said Henna Virkkunen (commissioner with responsibility for technology security).

“Our priority is to protect minors and allow them to navigate safely online. Together with the DSCs in the member states, we are determined to tackle any potential harm to young online users,” she added.