Hungary: Introduced Bill amending Act CVIII of 2001 on certain issues of electronic commerce services and information society services including an age verification requirement

On 23 April 2024, the Bill amending the Act CVIII of 2001 on certain issues of electronic commerce services and information society services was introduced in the Hungarian Parliament. The Bill includes an age verification requirement. Specifically, providers would be obligated to offer internet filtering services (referred to as safe services for minors) capable of blocking access to pornographic websites upon parental request. The filtering mechanism would rely on a continuously updated "blacklist" of the most frequently visited websites containing explicit content compiled by the National Media and Infocommunications Authority. Internet service providers would be mandated to ensure that these websites are inaccessible for the respective subscriptions using suitable technical solutions. The precise technical implementation, as well as the utilisation of IT resources and tools, would be contingent upon the providers' capabilities and resources, and the regulation remains entirely neutral regarding technology.