Published on 04/06/2025 – 12:43 GMT+2•Updated
12:44
The proprietor of Pornhub, RedTube and YouTube has blocked get entry to to the grownup platforms in France, in protest towards a legislation requiring porn websites to ensure the age in their customers.
Parent corporate Aylo mentioned it could prevent working in France as of Wednesday, having criticised the French executive’s measures to protect youngsters from beside the point content material by means of making porn platforms take additional steps to make sure that customers are 18 or older.
“I can confirm that Aylo has made the difficult decision to suspend access to its user-uploaded platforms (Pornhub, YouPorn, RedTube) in France. We will be using our platforms to directly address the French public,” a Pornhub spokesperson said on Tuesday.
Under France’s so-called SREN law, which was passed in 2023, adult content platforms have until Saturday to implement age verification measures. French media regulator Arcom can request that porn sites are blocked and issue fines if it finds their checks are lacking.
Solomon Friedman, a partner at Ethical Capital Partners, which owns Aylo, told reporters in a briefing call on Tuesday that the law was “useless”, “bad”, and “probably privacy-infringing”.
“It’s an issue of hanging our values first, and that suggests speaking without delay with the French other folks to inform them what their executive is refusing to inform them,” he said, in reference to a message that Aylo’s platforms will display to French users on Wednesday.
Aurore Bergé, French minister for gender equality, wrote “au revoir” in a post on X in response to Aylo’s statement.
“There shall be much less violent, degrading and humiliating content material obtainable to minors in France,” she wrote.
Clara Chappaz, France’s junior minister for artificial intelligence and digital technology, said on X: “If Aylo would slightly depart France than observe our regulations, they’re unfastened to take action.”
European Union regulators announced last week that they were investigating four major porn websites over suspected breaches of the bloc’s online content rules, which include provisions for protecting children from pornographic material. These include risks that age verification measures deployed by the sites are ineffective.
The European Commission said it has opened formal proceedings against Pornhub, Stripchat, XNXX and XVideos under the 27-nation bloc’s Digital Safety Act.
Aylo said last week that it was aware of the investigation and was “absolutely dedicated” to making sure on-line protection of youngsters. XNXX, Stripchat and XVideos didn’t remark.
