EU Tightens Control of Age Verification – Smaller Adult Platforms Also Under Scrutiny
The Irish media regulator Coimisiún na Meán is working together with other EU member states to significantly expand the enforcement of age verification regulations. According to the British Times, not only major adult platforms but also smaller providers will increasingly become the focus of regulatory authorities.
Smaller Adult Platforms Increasingly in Focus
Digital Services Media Commissioner John Evans emphasized before members of Ireland’s lower house that focusing solely on major providers is insufficient. Minors could easily migrate to smaller sites. For this reason, Ireland and other EU countries are currently compiling extensive overviews of smaller providers in order to regulate them nationally in the future.
New Safety Rules in Ireland and Across the EU
With the Online Safety Code introduced in July, Ireland now requires domestically based adult websites to implement real age verification systems. A simple self-confirmation such as “I am over 18” is no longer acceptable.
For operators based outside Ireland, the EU-wide provisions of the Digital Services Act (DSA) apply. National regulatory authorities across the EU work closely together to ensure compliance with age verification obligations at all levels.
The European Commission has already opened several proceedings against large adult platforms suspected of violating DSA rules. So far, however, the focus has primarily been on VLOPs (Very Large Online Platforms) — sites with at least 45 million active monthly users.
France as a European Pioneer of Strict Age Controls
The Irish initiative is closely aligned with similar plans in France. The French media regulator Arcom announced in September that it intends to extend its enforcement measures to smaller adult sites as well.
During the session of Irish lawmakers, the French SREN law (“Law Aiming to Secure and Regulate the Digital Space”) was cited as a possible model. France has long attempted to compel foreign websites to comply with its strict age verification rules, which has triggered EU-wide debates about jurisdiction.
An Advocate General of the Court of Justice of the European Union recently issued a non-binding opinion stating that France may indeed require providers based in other EU countries to implement its age verification standards. A final ruling from the Court is still pending.
“We Expect Noticeable Changes Soon”
Evans told parliamentarians that a significant number of enforcement actions related to age verification are already underway across Europe. Regulators are optimistic that the industry will adapt to the new requirements in the near future.
