French Court Upholds Blocking of Camschat Under SREN Law, Arcom Targets Porn Sites Without Age Verification
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A French law requiring adult websites to implement robust age verification systems became applicable on April 11, 2025, to sites based in France and outside the European Union. The law, known as SREN and adopted in May 2024, mandates that adult sites must go beyond a simple declaration of majority and require users to provide proof of age, such as a photo or identity document, to access content. Technical standards for age verification were set by Arcom in October 2024, requiring at least one method with 'double anonymat' and prohibiting bank card verification.
On April 15, 2025, the Paris administrative court upheld the authority of France's audiovisual and digital regulator, Arcom, to order the blocking of pornographic websites that fail to comply with these requirements. The court confirmed Arcom's decision to instruct Cloudflare to block access to the video-sharing site Camschat, which had only required a simple age declaration from users. The block was to be implemented within 48 hours, with users redirected to an Arcom information page, and would last for two years.
The court stated that the measure was 'adapted, necessary and proportionate' and constituted an 'atteinte proportionnée' to business and free expression, aimed at preventing minors in France from accessing pornographic content, even if the targeted sites are based abroad. The ruling clarified that France may enact complementary laws to the EU Digital Services Act for the protection of minors.
According to Arcom, 2.3 million minors in France access pornographic sites. The law applies immediately to sites based in France and outside the EU, while EU-based sites such as YouPorn, PornHub, RedTube, XNXX, Xvideos, Tukif, and Jacquie et Michel have until June 7, 2025, to comply. Non-compliant platforms risk fines of up to 4% of global revenue and being blocked for up to two years.
The blocking decided by Arcom of a pornographic site has just been validated by the courts. It thus confirms the authority's new regulatory powers in this field.
https://t.co/9Gxu7DcSDC
Age verification for social media is an entirely worthwhile goal, but there remain serious practical problems in implementing it without undue burdens on adults. https://t.co/F39kCfUJR6
