European Commission to investigate major adult platforms for DSA breaches
The Commission’s investigations into Pornhub, Stripchat, XNXX, and XVideos focus on the risks for the protection of minors, including those linked to the absence of effective age verification measures.
The European Commission has launched formal investigations against four of the world’s most visited adult-content platforms—Pornhub, Stripchat, XNXX, and XVideos—under the EU’s Digital Services Act (DSA). The investigations centre on suspected failures to protect minors from harmful content, particularly due to the absence of robust age verification mechanisms.
Adopted in 2022 and fully enforceable since 2024, the DSA imposes strict obligations on Very Large Online Platforms (VLOPs), including requirements to assess and mitigate systemic risks, implement privacy-respecting safeguards, and prioritise the rights of minors. These platforms are required to design services that prevent children from encountering age-inappropriate content, especially pornography, and to assess the mental and physical risks associated with their use.
Based on audits and responses submitted by the companies in 2024, the Commission found preliminary evidence that these obligations may not be met. The platforms are accused of failing to adopt proportionate measures for age verification and not conducting adequate risk assessments relating to children’s rights and well-being.
This enforcement action is part of a broader European push to make the online environment safer for children. In parallel, national Digital Services Coordinators (DSCs), through the European Board for Digital Services, have initiated coordinated investigations into smaller adult-content platforms. While the Commission supervises VLOPs directly, smaller platforms fall under the jurisdiction of DSCs in the member states where they are based.
The Commission is also taking practical steps to support compliance. It has proposed new guidelines on protecting minors online and is developing a white-label age verification app—an interim solution that respects user privacy while enabling platforms to verify age. This tool, based on the same standards as the forthcoming EU Digital Identity Wallet, will be available by summer 2025 and aims to bridge the gap in age assurance infrastructure across the Union.
Additionally, the Commission has confirmed the de-designation of Stripchat as a VLOP following a sustained decline in its user base below the regulatory threshold. While this change reduces the platform’s DSA obligations, Stripchat remains subject to general compliance rules, which will now be monitored by the Cyprus Radiotelevision Authority.
This move signals a more assertive phase of DSA enforcement, particularly in areas with high societal sensitivity. As Executive Vice-President Henna Virkkunen noted, ensuring a safe online space for minors is not just a regulatory requirement—it is a political priority grounded in the EU’s commitment to child rights and digital sovereignty.
