Adult content platform XNXX has been designated as a Very Large Online Platform (VLOP) under the EU’s platform rules, following its surpassing of the threshold of 45 million monthly users in the EU, the European Commission announced on July 10th.
This designation subjects XNXX to the strictest regulations under the Digital Services Act (DSA), including enhanced requirements for protecting minors, removing illegal content, and mitigating risks from their services.
XNXX, headquartered in the Czech Republic, has until November to comply with the DSA. Since February 17, all online platforms, including XNXX, have been required to meet general obligations of the law, such as offering user-friendly mechanisms to report illegal content and clearly labeling advertisements.
This latest designation adds XNXX to a list of adult content sites already classified as VLOPs under the DSA, including Pornhub, Stripchat, and XVideos, which were designated last December. These companies have appealed their designation, and the cases are still ongoing.
In June, the EU Commission requested information from these platforms regarding measures taken against illegal content amplification, gender-based violence, and age verification mechanisms.
This designation marks a significant step in the EU’s efforts to regulate a notoriously deregulated industry amid rising concerns over inadequate age verification and the spread of child sexual abuse material and AI-generated revenge porn.
XNXX is the 25th platform to be named a VLOP under the new EU rules. The initial batch of designated sites in April included Amazon, Booking.com, X (formerly Twitter), and Facebook. The Commission recently added marketplaces Shein and Temu to this list.
EURONEWS