European Commission sends requests for information on illegal content and protection of minors to Pornhub, Xvideos and Stripchat under Digital Services Regulation

The Commission has sent requests for information to Pornhub, Stripchat and Xvideos under the Digital Services Regulation. The Commission is asking these companies to provide more detailed information on the measures they have taken to diligently assess and mitigate risks related to the protection of minors online and to prevent the amplification of illegal content and gender-based violence. Among other things, the Commission requires details on the mechanisms adopted by these pornographic platforms to verify age.

The Commission also requests detailed information on the internal organisation of companies to ensure compliance with the Digital Services Regulation. Indeed, the Digital Services Regulation requires designated very large online platforms to have independent internal teams with sufficient authority and resources and access to the management body. Under the Regulation, compliance officers must ensure that all systemic risks described in the legislative text are properly identified and reported.

Pornhub, Stripchat and Xvideos must provide the requested information by 4 July 2024. Under Article 74(2) of the Digital Services Regulation, the Commission may impose fines for incorrect, incomplete or misleading information in response to a request for information. In case of failure to reply, the Commission may decide to request the information by means of a decision. In this case, failure to reply within the deadline could lead to the imposition of periodic penalty payments.

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Following their designation as very large online platforms, Pornhub, Stripchat and Xvideos must comply with the full set of provisions introduced by the Digital Services Regulation, including the assessment and mitigation of risks related to the dissemination of illegal and harmful content and any negative impact on the exercise of fundamental rights or the protection of minors. These three pornographic platforms submitted their first risk assessment report at the end of April 2024, four months after their designation.

Source: European Commission