In a decisive move that could redefine the boundaries of digital responsibility, the European Commission has launched formal proceedings against four of the world’s largest pornographic websites—Pornhub, Stripchat, XNXX, and XVideos—for suspected violations of the Digital Services Act (DSA). The crackdown marks a watershed moment in the EU’s mission to forge a safer digital landscape for children.
Citing serious concerns over the absence of effective age verification systems, the Commission suspects that these adult platforms have failed to put in place “appropriate and proportionate measures” to protect minors from harmful content. These include robust systems to shield underage users from explicit material and strategies to mitigate potential harm to children’s mental and physical well-being.
“The online space should be a safe environment for children to learn and connect,” declared Henna Virkkunen, Executive Vice-President for Tech Sovereignty, Security and Democracy.
“Our priority is to protect minors and allow them to navigate safely online. Together with the Digital Services Coordinators in the Member States, we are determined to tackle any potential harm to young online users.”
The First Strike Under a New Law
The DSA, heralded as one of the most ambitious regulatory undertakings in recent years, empowers the European Union to demand accountability from digital platforms. Today’s move against these online titans is the first formal probe under the DSA explicitly aimed at safeguarding children from adult content.
According to the Commission, its preliminary findings reveal systemic shortcomings: a lack of reliable age-verification tools, inadequate risk assessments, and the failure to prioritize child safety in platform design. If confirmed, these breaches could lead to stiff penalties and legally binding corrective measures.
The opening of formal proceedings enables the EU to escalate enforcement actions—ranging from the imposition of interim measures to non-compliance decisions. Platforms could also propose commitments to address the violations, which the Commission may accept.
Stripchat Loses “Very Large Platform” Status
In a parallel but significant development, the Commission announced the de-designation of Stripchat as a Very Large Online Platform (VLOP), after it fell below the 45 million monthly active user threshold for over a year. The site now exits the high-regulation VLOP category, but this doesn’t exempt it from DSA obligations. Stripchat will remain under the scrutiny of Cyprus’ Digital Services Coordinator.
The timing of this de-designation has raised eyebrows among some digital policy observers, as it occurs in tandem with the broader investigation. Yet, Commission officials stress that the procedural outcome follows strict metrics and a request initiated by Stripchat itself.
Coordinated Action Across the Continent
While the Commission focuses its firepower on the biggest players, a coalition of EU Member States—acting through the European Board for Digital Services—has launched a coordinated sweep against smaller pornographic platforms. These fall under the jurisdiction of national Digital Services Coordinators, ensuring the DSA’s teeth bite uniformly across borders.
Together, these actions form an unprecedented EU-wide offensive to combat the growing threat of unsupervised youth exposure to online pornography, reinforcing the principle that child safety online is not optional—it’s an obligation.
Looking Ahead: A Digital Shield for Europe’s Children
The road forward is both technical and philosophical. Beyond legal proceedings, the Commission is developing a white-label age verification app, due this summer, as a bridge until the EU Digital Wallet is operational in 2026. Built to verify users’ age without compromising their identity, the app represents a privacy-first model for digital safety.
This initiative is backed by a public consultation launched on May 12, with draft guidelines urging platforms to proactively adopt child protection mechanisms. These include the use of age estimation technologies, smarter content gating, and enhanced design standards that prioritize the rights of the child.
A Turning Point for Digital Accountability
While the outcome of the investigations remains open, the message from Brussels is clear: the era of unregulated online adult content is ending. The DSA, once just legislative promise, is now a living instrument of enforcement. And the Commission is wielding it with conviction.
In the past, efforts to regulate online pornography often met with inertia, complexity, or political hesitancy. But today, Europe takes a stand—not against the existence of adult content, but against a system that too easily exposes the vulnerable to harm.
If successful, this legal assault on digital indifference may become a milestone moment in Europe’s pursuit of a digital future that is not only free—but safe.
The Commission has opened investigations against 4 large pornographic platforms for suspected breaches of its digital services rules. EU countries are also taking action against smaller pornographic platforms. This will reinforce the EU’s effort to protect minors from harmful content online.
