Porn Sites Argue Against France's AV Laws Before EU Court

BRUSSELS—Attorneys representing WebGroup Czech Republic and NKL Associates, a pair of Czechia-based parent companies that own and operate XVideos and XNXX, told European Union judges that they shouldn't be obligated to follow French age verification rules requiring them to block minors from accessing their websites. MLex reports a hearing was held Monday on the adult websites' petition. No decision has been handed down. France previously adopted regulations that require age verification for virtually all adult entertainment platforms inside and outside of the European Union. Arcom, France's digital regulator, promulgated rules in 2024 to implement age verification systems for all pornographic websites accessible in the country. This derives from legislation adopted in 2023 by the Assemblée Nationale, France's Parliament, which voted through the bill intended to overhaul the internet and the country's digital space.