EU tightens digital safety net as pornhub, stripchat, XVideos face stricter regulation

The European Union expanded its regulatory grip on online platforms, designating adult websites Pornhub, Stripchat, and XVideos as “very large online platforms” under the new EU Digital Services Act (DSA).

The trio now stands alongside tech giants like TikTok, X, and Facebook, subject to heightened scrutiny due to their massive user bases exceeding 45 million active users in the EU.

Starting from the end of April, these adult platforms will be compelled to implement more stringent rules, with a primary focus on safeguarding children from explicit content.

The European Commission, overseeing 22 such regulated platforms across the 27-nation bloc, will closely monitor compliance with measures aimed at protecting minors from harmful and illegal content, such as images of rape or child abuse.

EU Industry Commissioner Thierry Breton emphasized the priority of creating a safer online environment for children, while EU Vice-President Margrethe Vestager highlighted the importance of increased scrutiny and accountability for the algorithms and processes of the designated adult sites.

Notably, Pornhub contested the classification, arguing that its average monthly viewership in the European Union fell short of the 45 million threshold. However, this disagreement may lead to potential fines of up to six percent of global annual turnover or even a ban on operating in Europe for serious and repeated violations.

The DSA imposes new obligations on Very Large Online Platforms (VLOPs), including the analysis of threats to European rights and safety posed by their content. VLOPs must provide increased transparency by granting access to their data for EU-approved researchers and undergoing an annual external audit to verify compliance with European rules.

These platforms must promptly remove illicit content, report serious criminal offenses to legal authorities, and refrain from exploiting sensitive user data for targeted advertising.

The DSA aims to ensure transparency regarding algorithmic content suggestions. While no firm has been found guilty of breaching the new EU content rules, a formal investigation targeting Elon Musk’s social network X (formerly Twitter) was recently launched, marking the first under the DSA.

Preliminary investigations against major tech players like Apple, Google, Facebook, Meta, TikTok, Snapchat, YouTube, and Amazon have also been initiated by Brussels in recent months.