Faced with the refusal of Tukif, XHamster, Xvideos, Pornhub and Xnxx to set up more effective systems to prevent minors from accessing their platform, the CSA decided to counter-attack. The five porn sites in question have 15 days to put in place new age verification systems, otherwise their access will be blocked by internet service providers.
For several months now, pornographic sites have been in the crosshairs of the French authorities and associations for the defense of minors. The main criticism leveled against them? Younger people can access it all too easily. It must be said that the simple question “Are you of age” does not really impose itself as an infallible age verification system.
In fact, the government now requires that X sites improve their devices. In the event of inaction on their part, a decree authorized the CSA to close sites that do not comply with regulations. And precisely after having given formal notice to 9 porn sites in March 2021, the audiovisual gendarme has just assigned 5 other sites for adults, namely PornHub, Tukif, XHamster, Xvideo and Xnxx.
Read also: These 9 porn sites escape a blocking request in France
15 days to comply
These platforms are summoned by the CSA to strengthen their mechanisms to prevent access to minors. They have 15 days to “take any measure likely to comply with the provisions of article 227-4 of the penal code ”. Indeed, the penal code prohibits exposing minors to pornographic photos and videos while the law on domestic violence of July 30, 2020 requires that the companies concerned cannot be exempted from their responsibilities by being satisfied with confirm or not the majority of a user with a single click.
If nothing is done by these sites within the allotted 15 days, the CSA reserves the right to appeal to the judicial court of Paris. It will then come back to the judge whether or not to order ISPs to block access to these porn sites throughout France. “The regulator ensures, in accordance with the law, its mission of protecting minors. With these decisions, we appeal to the responsibility of operators who must put in place the necessary measures to prevent minors from accessing their content ”, ensures the CSA in the columns of AFP.
However, the problem remains the same for X sites: no alternative and effective verification method has been validated by the French authorities. A concern already pointed out by French porn sites, which requires more efforts from the regulatory authorities.
