After limiting a host of internet giants, including Meta-owned Facebook and Instagram, Apple’s App Store, and a bunch of services offered by Google, under the Digital Services Act, the European Union is shifting its focus on a bunch of pornsites. According to a report, three websites will now have to follow the new rules.
According to a report by The Financial Times, three websites – Pornhub, Xvideosand Stripchat – will have to follow the DSA starting in April.The act is aimed to ensure that “very large online platforms” make an effort to stop the spread of harmful content, ban or limit certain user-targeting practices, and share some internal data with regulators and associated researchers. It also aims to curb online hate and child sexual abuse.
This means that the sites may have to implement age verification and stricter content moderation to comply with the act that came into force in August this year. The regulators are expected to announce the decision on Wednesday, the report said.
Age verification in the UK
The development comes soon after the UK’s media regulator issued guidance to porn websites asking them to introduce stricter technical measures to ensure that their users are over the age of 18.
The Office of Communications (or Ofcom) said that pornography websites must strengthen their age verification measures and use tools such as facial scanning software and credit card checks to protect children from their content.
It aims to use AI to help in blocking access to underage users. The regulator suggested that AI technology can be used for age verification by analysing a viewer’s features. This may require taking a selfie on a device and uploading it.
The proposed guidance also includes photo identification matching, requiring a user to upload a photo ID such as passport or driving licence to prove their age, and credit card checks.