Europe Gets Serious about Online Age Verification

For as long as as I can remember, entering a pornographic site has required the same effort as skipping a line: zero. So much for age verification; just a click on the "I'm over 18" button and off you go. The European Commission, therefore, also aided by the latest US rulings on the effects social platforms have on minors, is accelerating the process already underway to introduce effective age-verification systems.

All Too Simple

Back in May, Brussels opened formal proceedings against Pornhub, Stripchat, XNXX and XVideos for suspected violation of the Digital Services Act (DSA). This law updated the legal framework for platforms operating in Europe. It has been in force since 2024 and imposes transparency obligations, rapid removal of illegal content and management of systemic risks, including disinformation and the protection of minors.

A year later, in March 2026, the investigation reached its preliminary conclusions. The European Commission determined that all four sites allow minors to access their services by relying on simple one-click confirmation pages. Regulation found that mechanism to be completely inadequate in relation to the legal requirements. The same finding was made for the social media platform Snapchat, which, according to another commission investigation, allegedly may have violated the DSA by exposing minors to attempts at grooming and recruitment for criminal purposes, as well as to information on the sale of illegal goods, such as drugs or age-restricted products, such as e-cigarettes and alcohol.

Please select this link to read the complete article from WIRED.