Feed: Engadget is a web magazine with obsessive daily coverage of everything new in gadgets and consumer electronics
Feed Link: https://www.engadget.com/
---

Title: EU regulators are investigating Pornhub and three other sites

Date: Tue, 27 May 2025 19:42:35 +0000
Link: https://www.engadget.com/entertainment/stream...

European regulators are investigating Pornhub. On Monday, the European
Commission (EC) accused the platform of not doing enough to block underage
access. Also included in the investigation are Stripchat, XNXX and XVideos.

The EC suspects the porn sites have breached the Digital Services Act (DSA),
which includes child safety measures. Specifically, it accused the platforms
of lacking age restriction tools. All four sites let EU users watch content
after clicking a single button to confirm they're over 18.

In a statement to Engadget, Pornhub said it's "fully committed" to the online
safety of minors. "Our sites are fully RTA compliant as rated by the
Association of Sites Advocating Child Protection (ASACP), and are strictly
reserved for those of legal age only," the company said. It added that it
believes device-level verification, rather than on the website, is "the real
solution."

"Children should not have access to pornographic content," EC spokesperson
Thomas Regnier said at a press conference (via The Guardian). "This is why
today the commission has opened [the] investigations."

Next, regulators will carry out an in-depth probe. If the companies are found
to be in violation, they could face fines of up to six percent of their
global annual turnover. However, the EC could also accept remedies from the
companies.

The DSA allows the commission to regulate online platforms with over 45
million users. Those missing that mark fall under the jurisdiction of the
EU's 27 member states. On that note, the commission said Stripchat no longer
meets that threshold. Moving forward, it will be regulated by Cyprus, where
its parent company operates. However, the new designation doesn't take effect
for four months, so it remains part of the probe.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at
https://www.engadget.com/entertainment/stream...
investigating-pornhub-and-three-other-sites-194234570.html?src=rss

---
VRSS v2.1.180528