By Michaela Gordoni
The EU is investigating Pornhub and three other porn sites after they failed to prevent children from accessing them.
The Christian Post reported The European Commission’s preliminary investigation found that the four sites failed to implement “a high level of privacy, safety and security for minors, in particular with age verification tools to safeguard minors from adult content.”
They lacked “mitigation measures of any negative effects on the rights of the child, the mental and physical well-being of users, and to prevent minors from accessing adult content, notably via appropriate age verification tools.”
The European Board for Digital Services is also going after lesser-known sites in an effort to protect children.
“Protecting young users online is one of the key enforcement priorities under the DSA,” the commission said. “Online platforms must ensure that the rights and best interests of children are central to the design and functioning of their services.”
If the sites do not correct their course, they could risk heavy fines of up to 6% of their global turnover. Repeat violation could result in the EU banning them, Le Monde reported Wednesday.
Pornhub’s parent company, Aylo Freesites, said it would comply with regulations and claimed responsibility should be put on the device a child uses rather than the sites they access.
“Our priority is to protect minors and allow them to navigate safely online,” said Henna Virkkunen, the Commission’s executive vice-president for tech sovereignty, security and democracy. “Together with the Digital Service Coordinators in the Member States we are determined to tackle any potential harm to young online users.”
Pornhub has come under fire countless times, particularly in America. Last December, one district court judge would not dismiss a case where a young woman claimed that the site profited off a video of her being sexually abused as a child.
Related: PornHub Goes to Trial for Allegations of Distributing Teen Abuse Video
Over a dozen states have rules requiring Pornhub to have an age verification system, and Pornhub blocked its services in those states in protest. This contradicts its willing stance to comply with the EU’s laws — albeit after getting in trouble. Apparently, in America, the company still wants as many customers as it can get — even if they are kids — or it’s too lazy to implement ID verification systems.
Sex addiction therapist Laurie Schlegel explained that there’s a standard that’s not being met, but age verification tools help meet that.
“You can’t be 10 years old and go into Mr. Binky’s — that’s an adult bookstore in my district,” Schlegel said. “This is public policy we’ve accepted across the board in brick-and-mortar stores, but we’ve just been giving a pass to the internet.”
No matter what, kids need to be protected, whether it be through age verification or some other means.
Read Next: PornHub Parent Site Admits to Profiting From Sex Trafficking
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