Commission probes adult platforms for DSA noncompliance on age verification

The European Commission has issued preliminary findings that Pornhub, Stripchat, XNXX, and XVideos may have breached the Digital Services Act (DSA) by failing to protect minors from accessing explicit content. The assessment centers on deficiencies in platforms’ risk management obligations for systemic risks affecting children.

According to the Commission, the platforms’ risk assessments were incomplete or flawed, prioritizing reputational exposure over concrete societal harms to minors. In certain instances, input from child protection organizations was misrepresented or insufficiently considered, suggesting governance and documentation gaps under Articles 34–35 DSA.

Enforcement concerns also target ineffective age-gating. Despite terms limiting access to adults, the services primarily rely on self-declared age checks—typically a confirmation click—supplemented by labels or content warnings that regulators deem inadequate. The Commission signals the need for robust, privacy-preserving age verification solutions consistent with EU fundamental rights and data minimization.

The companies may now respond and propose corrective measures. The European Board for Digital Services will be consulted as the inquiry advances. If the preliminary view is confirmed, the Commission can adopt a non-compliance decision and impose fines up to 6% of global annual turnover, with periodic penalty payments to ensure compliance—underscoring the DSA’s enforcement bite for platforms hosting adult content.