EU Targets Pornhub and Other Porn Sites After Failing to Stop Minors From Accessing Their Content

The European Union is finally putting the online pornography industry under real pressure — launching a sweeping investigation into four of the biggest adult sites over child safety failures.

Pornhub, XVideos, XNXX and Stripchat are under formal scrutiny for allegedly doing far too little to stop children accessing explicit content — a move that could mark a turning point for how adult platforms are regulated across Europe.

EU Cracks Down on Porn Sites Over Child Safety

On Tuesday, the European Commission announced that it had opened a formal probe under the Digital Services Act (DSA) — a sweeping regulation designed to tackle harmful online content and better protect young users from disinformation, hate speech, scams, and, now, porn.

The Commission said the adult websites in question had failed to prove they are doing enough to prevent children from viewing sexual material. In fact, investigators found the only barrier to entry in many cases was a button labelled 'I am over 18' — a mechanism so lax it's been likened to asking a child if they've brushed their teeth and simply taking their word for it.

Beyond weak age checks, the Commission also accused the sites of not assessing or mitigating the risks their content poses to children's rights, mental health, or physical well-being.

'Today is a good day for minor protection online in the EU,' an EU official said. 'With the enforcement actions that we are launching ... we are clearly showing that we mean it when it comes to the effective protection of minors under the DSA.'

Better Safeguards or Brutal Fines

The investigation has no fixed deadline, but the Commission said it would move quickly depending on how the platforms respond.

Sites like Pornhub and XVideos could still resolve the probe by implementing robust, regulator-approved age verification systems that meet DSA standards. But if they're found in breach of the rules, the penalties could be severe — up to 6% of their annual global turnover, according to the BBC.

Stripcvchat, which no longer qualifies as a 'Very Large Online Platform' (VLOP), is not currently at risk of such a fine. However, all platforms — regardless of size — must still comply with the DSA's rules, especially where child protection is concerned.

A Turning Point for the Porn Industry

The European Commission also confirmed that enforcement will not stop at the biggest sites. Member states will begin clamping down on smaller pornographic platforms too.

'Our priority is to protect minors and allow them to navigate safely online,' said EU Vice-President for Tech Sovereignty Henna Virkkunen. 'Together with the Digital Service Coordinators in the Member States we are determined to tackle any potential harm to young online users.'

The broader message from Brussels is clear: tech giants in the adult industry can no longer hide behind flimsy age gates or vague commitments to safety. Aylo, the company behind Pornhub, has acknowledged the investigation and expressed a commitment to safeguarding children — though it has not admitted any wrongdoing.

But EU officials are drawing a firm line. The era of token compliance and self-regulation is over. If adult platforms want to operate in Europe, they'll need to prove they can protect their youngest and most vulnerable users — or face the consequences.