Macron’s government, previously an ally of Big Tech, has in recent years moved to more stringently regulate social media apps, with its push for a Europe-wide lower age limit of 15 for social media gaining traction in Brussels.
But in the immediate absence of action at the European Union level to keep children off adult content platforms, France has been going its own way. The results so far have been mixed.
While some porn websites have complied, others such as xHamster, XVideos or XNXX have refused to do so and could see penalties from France’s communications regulator, Arcom, on Wednesday.
Arguably the biggest player in the adult content space, Aylo Freesites, last week chose to block access to its products in France in protest against the age verification measures. The company, which owns Pornhub, Redtube and YouPorn, argued the new rules were “dangerous” and “potentially privacy infringing.”
Meanwhile, the European Commission is working on its own solution for age verification, with France one of five countries set to trial it. The Commission separately opened DSA investigations into major porn platforms like Pornhub over age verification.
Thomas Regnier, a spokesperson for the Commission, said several provisions of the DSA applied in this case and oblige X to take “appropriate risk mitigation measures — including on pornographic content.”
