Turning Off the Tap: Porn Hub's Stance on France's Age Verification Act
Adult entertainment websites planning demonstrations across France
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Hold on to your hats, folks! France's netizens are in for a bump in their digital playground as popular pornographic sites such as Pornhub, Redtube, and Youporn announce a temporary blockade starting Wednesday afternoon. Why so? To protest the stringent age verification regulations set to take effect, according to local news outlets. Instead of the usual fare, these sites will display a statement about the new rules.
Statistics from the French digital regulatory authority Arcom in 2023 revealed that a staggering 2.3 million minors visited porn sites each month, making up 12 percent of site users in the country. To shield youngsters from inappropriate content, platforms are required to tighten their age verification controls. Merely declaring that one is over 18 won't cut it anymore. External sites will now be tasked with checking the user's age, providing them with anonymity. The porn site will only receive confirmation of the user's majority and will not catch a glimpse of their identity. As for the external service provider, they'll know the user's identity but not the purpose for the age verification check.
Alex Kekesi, an executive at the website's parent company, Aylo, criticized the new regulations, calling them "symbolic, useless, and dangerous for privacy." He believes age checks should be performed on the devices being used, not the visited websites. On the other hand, France's junior digital minister, Clara Chappaz, derided Aylo's announcement, stating that evading age checks is unacceptable and that the regulations are primarily designed to protect kids. Other internet sites are already toeing the line with the new rule, Chappaz remarked. If Aylo chooses to boycott France rather than complying with the law, the minister encourages them to do so.
This storm in the French digital sea originated from the SREN law passed in 2023, which mandates adult content platforms to put age verification measures in place to block underage users. The deadline for these measures was set for June 2025. The French media regulator, Arcom, is tasked with enforcing these regulations, with the power to block non-compliant platforms and impose fines if the age verification measures aren't deemed adequate.
The SREN law is currently under review by the European Commission, adding an international flair to the controversy surrounding the legislation [1][2][3][4]. So buckle up, folks! This digital shake-up is far from over.
In light of the age verification restrictions outlined by France's SREN law, popular pornographic websites such as Pornhub and others may be seen implementing alternative measures on social-media platforms to voice their concerns about the upcoming regulations. Simultaneously, entertainment companies might need to revise their community and employment policies to adapt to the new rules regarding user identity verification, especially when it comes to external service providers.
