XNXX also in the EU crosshairs: crackdown on online porn increases

Brussels – Not just Pornhub, Stripchat, and Xvideos: The European Commission also puts XNXX in its crosshairs, designating the online platform for adults as a ‘Very Large’ platform — or with a high number of users. Brussels estimates “an average of more than 45 million” monthly users, more than the minimum required by the Digital Services Act. Therefore, it triggers an obligation to comply with EU rules. Specifically, by mid-November 2024, XNXX will have to take specific measures to empower and protect online users, prevent minors from accessing pornographic content online, including with age-verification tools, provide researchers with access to publicly accessible data, and publish an archive of advertisements.

The EU, therefore, increases the clampdown on Internet porn giants. Like sites with similar content, XNXX will have to comply to avoid the hefty fines provided by the Digital Services Act, which can reach up to 6 percent of global annual revenues. To avert this scenario, the platform that ended up in the EU executive’s crosshairs will also have to offer guarantees in terms of assessing and mitigating any systemic risks arising from their services, such as those related to the dissemination of illegal content or adverse effects on the user’s mental and physical well-being.

“This designation illustrates how the Commission continues to closely monitor market developments,” the EU executive said in a statement announcing the inclusion of XNXX in the list of Very Large Online Platforms and the request for compliance with the new rules. A total of 25 web giants have now ended up in Brussels’ monitoring net.