France: Regulatory Authority for Audiovisual and Digital Communication issues formal compliance notice to pornographic websites over alleged non-compliance with age verification obligations

On 4 August 2025, the Regulatory Authority for Audiovisual and Digital Communication (Arcom) issued a formal notification to five pornographic websites based in Cyprus and the Czech Republic to comply with the Law on Securing and Regulating the Digital Space (SREN Law/ LAW No. 2024-449). Under the notification, the sites have three weeks to comply with the age verification requirement in the SREN law before Arcom will initiate delisting and blocking proceedings against them. The notification follows the issuance of formal observation letters by Arcom to the operators of these websites on 11 June 2025, and subsequent failure to comply. These websites had been designated by ministerial order as subject to legally mandated age verification requirements under the SREN law. Arcom also sent a letter of observation to a supplier who had withdrawn its age verification system following the suspension of the order. The letters represent the next step toward potential blocking or delisting if non-compliance continues. The Arcom also notified the relevant national authorities in accordance with the European Union’s cooperation mechanisms. The Aylo group, operator of Pornhub, YouPorn, and RedTube, was not affected, as it had withdrawn from the French market.