Online porn giants are breaching the DSA; EU ready to impose hefty fines

Brussels – Adult videos and content are too easily accessible to minors: porn platforms are breaching EU rules, and the Commission is ready to take action against XVideos, PornHub, Stripchat, and XNXX. From the checks officially launched slightly less than a year ago, in May 2025, the European Commission’s preliminary concerns have been confirmed: younger users are not protected from exposure to the material offered by these online services.

 XVideos, PornHub, Stripchat, and XNXX “did not diligently identify and assess the risks that their platforms pose to minors accessing their services,” the European Commission complains, therefore alleging a breach of the Digital Services Act (DSA). The adult portals have been classified as “large platforms” (i.e., with 45 million monthly users, ed. note) and are subject to monitoring under EU rules. Despite the warnings, all the sites subject to checks and warnings “have failed to implement effective measures to prevent minors from accessing their services, therefore, failing to protect minors’ rights and wellbeing.” In practice, despite stating in their Terms of Service that their services are reserved for adults, “all four platforms allow minors to access their platforms by a simple click confirming they are over 18.” 

Each of the four major platforms will now have to comply with the rules, because if the European Commission, upon completing its investigations, confirms the preliminary infringements of DSA, it could impose hefty fines of up to 6 per cent of the provider’s total global annual turnover. In addition, Brussels may also impose periodic fines to compel the platform to comply with the regulations.

“Today, we are taking another action to enforce the DSA – ensuring that children are properly protected online, as they have the right to be,” said the Executive Vice-President for Technological Sovereignty, Security and Democracy, Henna Virkkunen. “In the EU, online platforms have a responsibility. Children are accessing adult content at increasingly younger ages, and these platforms must put in place robust, privacy-preserving, and effective measures to keep minors off their services,” she added.