Top French Court Rules Major Porn Sites Must Check Users' Ages
FRANCE, JUL 15 – The Council of State overturned a previous suspension to enforce age checks on major porn sites amid concerns that over half of French boys access such content monthly, Arcom said.
- France's top administrative court ruled on July 15 that Pornhub, YouPorn, and RedTube must verify users' ages in France to prevent minor access.
- This ruling follows a 2024 French law requiring EU-based porn sites to check visitor ages, amid resistance from adult sites and legal challenges.
- The French audiovisual watchdog Arcom noted that over half of French boys access porn monthly from age 12 and recommended a privacy-protecting 'double-blind' verification option.
- France joins four other EU countries testing a new age-verification app aimed at stopping child access to harmful content, with national versions due within months.
- The court's decision reinstates the age check requirement after suspensions, implying continued enforcement and pressure on platforms to protect children online.
27 Articles
27 Articles
The Council of State has invalidated a decision suspending the inter-ministerial decree imposing this obligation. As a consequence: the Youporn, Pornhub and Redtube platforms are again inaccessible in France. - Age verification: the Youporn and Pornhub sites are suspending their access in France (Company topics).
The Youporn, Pornhub and Redtube platforms have been inaccessible in France since Tuesday 15 July, following the decision of the Council of State to restore age verification for users of pornographic sites...
DECRYPTAGE - The administrative jurisdiction requires the platforms to ensure that the majority of their users are insured. To protest, three sites block access to users in France.
Top French court rules major porn sites must check users' ages
Major pornographic websites Pornhub, YouPorn and RedTube must verify the ages of their users in France, the country's top administrative court ruled, in a decision on a legal battle that has been ongoing since March.
On Tuesday, 15 July, the court invalidated the decision to suspend an order made in March which required the platforms to check the age of the Internet users, a measure contested by the "tubes".
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