Commission demands details from porn platforms on protections for minors and illegal content

5 months ago 29

The European Commission in a statement formally requested pornography platforms Pornhub, Stripchat, and XVideos for detailed information on their compliance with the Digital Services Act (DSA), Thursday (13 June).

The pornography websites were added to the list of Very Large Online Platforms (VLOPs), that come under the DSA in December.

They join 19 other platforms that need to follow strict content moderation rules. This includes those designated as VLOPs, like social media networks Instagram and TikTok, and e-commerce sites AliExpress and Zalando, as well as some defined as very large online services, such as Google Search and Bing.

The Commission now seeks detailed information on the measures the porn websites have taken to assess and mitigate risks related to the protection of minors online, as well as to prevent the amplification of illegal content and gender-based violence.

The three platforms did not respond to Euractiv’s request for comment at the time of publication. The three websites have sued the EU over their obligations as VLOPS, Euractiv reported in March.

European Commissioner for Internal Market Thierry Breton has repeatedly said that one of the main goals of the DSA is the protection of minors online.

The Commission specifically seeks information on the platforms’ age verification mechanisms, and their internal compliance systems, according to their press release.

A deadline of 4 July was set for the porn platforms to respond. Providing inaccurate, incomplete, or misleading information may lead to fines.

Should the platforms fail to respond within the timeframe, the Commission can get the information “by decision.” This likely means that the European Commission can issue an official order to compel the platforms to provide the requested information.

If the platforms do not respond to the Commission’s request, they may face “periodic fines,” said the press release.

The DSA aims to create a safer digital environment by clarifying the assignment of responsibility for actors operating online, including how to deal with illegal content, such as dangerous goods, and harmful but legal content like hate speech.

Under its rules, online platforms used by more than 10% of the EU’s population monthly, meaning 45 million users, entail a “systemic risk” for society, so they must follow a specific regime of content moderation, including transparency and risk management obligations.

[Edited by Eliza Gkritsi/Rajnish Singh]