BRUSSELS—The European Commission announced today that XNXX.com, a popular adult tube site owned by WebGroup Czech Republic, is now classified as a "very large online platform" (VLOP) under the Digital Services Act (DSA).
Under the DSA, the European Union can regulate all digital platforms classified as such, defined as those with over 45 million users throughout the 27-country bloc.
VLOP classification requires platforms to make available data, trust and safety policies, and more.
"XNXX is an adult content platform with an average of more than 45 million monthly users in the European Union," reads a statement from the European Commission. "This user number, which XNXX has communicated to the Commission, is above the DSA threshold for designation as a VLOP. Following today's designation as a VLOP, XNXX will have to comply with the most stringent rules under the DSA within four months of its notification."
XNXX must comply with the DSA by mid-November 2024. At the time of this writing, XNXX has started reporting its mandatory information per the Digital Services Act's requirement.
According to XNXX, 160 million users from the EU bloc visit the website. Internationally, the tube site is one of the most visited adult platforms on the internet.
Pornhub, Stripchat and XVideos were previously classified as VLOPs under the digital regulation.
The parent companies of these platforms sued the European Union in March for classifying them as VLOPs under the Digital Services Act. The cases were filed at the European General Court.
"XNXX must also duly assess and mitigate any systemic risks stemming from their services, such as risks related to the dissemination of illegal content or the negative effects on [the] mental and physical well-being of the user," reads the press statement from the commission.
Under the Digital Services Act, VLOPs are required to adhere to regulations that require reports on data collection and content moderation practices. The act also stipulates that VLOPs must provide easier methods for national law enforcement accessibility, especially Europol member police agencies.
