The European Union has recently taken an important step toward regulating online platforms by enforcing stringent Digital Services Act (DSA) rules on three major adult entertainment sites: Pornhub, Stripchat, and XVideos.
This move brings them under the same compliance standards as tech giants like Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok.
LAS VEGAS, NV - JANUARY 24: A Pornhub logo is displayed at the company's booth at the 2018 AVN Adult Entertainment Expo at the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino on January 24, 2018 in Las Vegas, Nevada.
'Very Large Online Platforms'
The European Commission classified these adult entertainment platforms as "very large online platforms" (VLOPs) due to their massive user base, averaging over 45 million monthly users within the EU.
This classification subjects them to strong regulations outlined in the DSA.
Stringent Regulations
These VLOPs are required to adhere to the DSA's general requirements by February 17, necessitating several pivotal changes.
Among these changes are user-friendly reporting mechanisms for illegal content, prioritization of flagged content from trusted sources, transparent content moderation practices, and enhanced measures to protect minors' privacy and safety.
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Responsibilities for Adult Platforms
Apart from adhering to general DSA rules, these adult sites face specific obligations within four months of their VLOP designation.
This includes implementing stringent content moderation practices to combat the spread of illegal content, especially material related to child sexual abuse and non-consensual intimate content sharing.
Severe Penalties
The repercussions for failing to meet DSA standards are significant. Violating platform holders can face fines of up to six percent of their annual global revenue, and penalties may be imposed for delayed compliance.
The EC can also seek court orders to block access to these services in extreme cases temporarily.
The European Commission will closely monitor these platforms' compliance with DSA regulations, focusing on protecting minors from harmful content and curbing the dissemination of illegal material.
Collaboration with Digital Services Coordinators from Member States will ensure effective enforcement.
Tech Giants
Previously, the EU designated 19 other VLOPs and search engines under the DSA, including tech giants like Google, Facebook, and Amazon.
These platforms are set to comply with additional obligations starting from the end of August, with all platforms required to comply with general DSA obligations by February 17, 2024.
The EU's decisive action in subjecting major adult platforms to stringent DSA rules underscores a collective effort toward safer online environments and robust content governance.
It is a significant step in ensuring accountability and user safety across the digital landscape.
In Other News
According to a new study by startup Patronus AI, AI models, including the widely used ChatGPT, struggle to analyze Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) filings.
The study discovered that even the best-performing AI model, OpenAI's GPT-4-Turbo, only answered questions based on SEC filings with a 79% accuracy rate.
The AI was given access to nearly the entire filing alongside the question in the test. Researchers cited instances in which AI models refused to respond or provided inaccurate information not found in SEC filings.
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