Three of the world's largest porn websites, Pornhub, XVideos, and Stripchat, are facing new requirements in the European Union (EU) that will require them to verify the ages of their users. The EU, aiming to ensure internet safety, has expanded the reach of its digital law, the Digital Services Act, to include these "very large online platforms". The classification is based on the fact that each of these websites has an average monthly user count of 45 million, as reported by the European Commission.

Under the Digital Services Act, Pornhub, XVideos, and Stripchat are the first porn sites to be targeted. The act imposes strict obligations on these platforms to ensure the safety of their users by preventing access to illegal content and questionable products. Violations of these requirements can lead to fines up to 6% of global revenue or even a ban on operating within the EU. Additionally, 19 other online platforms and search engines, including TikTok, Amazon, Facebook, Instagram, and Google, have already been identified for stricter scrutiny under the DSA.

While Pornhub disputed its classification as a "very large online platform" under the DSA, stating that it has 33 million average monthly users, XVideos and Stripchat did not respond to requests for comment. The EU's digital law also includes provisions to protect children from accessing pornographic content online, including the use of age verification tools. Several countries, such as France, Germany, Britain, Utah, and Texas, have already drafted laws requiring porn sites to verify that users are 18 or older. However, concerns about privacy and discrimination have been raised regarding the methods of verification, which could include checking credit cards, government-issued ID, or scanning faces to estimate ages.

The Digital Services Act also addresses the spread of illegal content online, such as child sexual abuse material and content that violates fundamental rights, like privacy, such as non-consensual images or deepfake porn. The EU commission stated that measures to curb these risks may involve adapting terms and conditions, interfaces, moderation processes, or algorithms, among others.

The DSA came into effect for the largest online platforms in August and includes requirements such as carrying out risk assessments, providing researchers with access to publicly available data, and filing regular transparency reports. The EU has already used the law to investigate Elon Musk's social media platform, X (previously known as Twitter), for its alleged failure to prevent the spread of illegal content, including hate speech and incitement of terrorism.

As of now, the three companies, Pornhub, XVideos, and Stripchat, have not responded to requests for comment regarding these new requirements imposed by the EU.