3 More Platforms Named Under EU Digital Services Act

Three porn sites were designated very large online platforms (VLOPs) under the EU Digital Services Act (DSA), the European Commission said Wednesday. The commission concluded that Canadian-owned Pornhub, Cyprus-registered Stripchat and Czechia-registered XVideos meet the DSA threshold of 45 million average monthly users in the EU. As a result, the companies must begin to analyze the systemic risks they pose when their platforms disseminate illegal content and content that threatens fundamental rights; take steps to address these risks; design their services to avoid risks to children's well-being; and comply with transparency and accountability rules. The EC designated 19 VLOPs in April, and reported in November that while the platforms were making a good effort to comply with the DSA, much more needed to be done (see 2311100001). The EC opened an investigation Tuesday into whether X, a VLOP, violated the DSA. It was the first DSA investigation (see 2312180004). By Feb. 17, all platforms except small and microenterprises must comply with the act.