The European Commission has started formal investigations into four major adult websites—Pornhub, Stripchat, XNXX, and XVideos—for allegedly failing to block minors from accessing explicit content. The probe, conducted under the EU’s Digital Services Act (DSA), targets weak age verification systems on these platforms. The Commission said these methods, mostly simple self-declarations, are not enough to prevent under-18 users from viewing pornography.
The investigations came after a review of the websites’ policies showed all four rely on one-click age checks. A Commission spokesperson said, “Today is a good day for child protection online in the EU,” highlighting the seriousness of enforcing the DSA’s rules on protecting children.
The Digital Services Act aims to reduce online harm by enforcing strict measures to shield children from content that might affect their mental health. Companies that do not comply risk fines of up to 6% of their global annual revenue. The EU promised a fast response depending on how the platforms react.
Stripchat was recently reclassified after an appeal and will now be overseen by Cyprus rather than the EU starting September. However, the investigation into its age verification remains open. Stripchat is run by Technius Ltd., based in Cyprus.
Other platforms, such as Pornhub, remain under direct EU supervision due to their large size and user base across Europe.
Pornhub’s parent company, Aylo Freesites, confirmed they know about the probe and said they fully intend to comply with the law. They explained, “The real solution lies in age verification at the device level, allowing or denying access based on verified user age.” Technius, XNXX, and XVideos have not yet commented publicly.
This probe marks a clear step by the EU to strengthen online child safety and hold digital platforms responsible for their users, especially minors.