Protecting persons under 18 online: 31 new pornographic websites targeted by Arcom

Arcom has made the protection of the public, particularly youngsters, a priority. Consequently, since February 2025, 35 of the most frequently browsed pornographic websites by persons under 18 in France have either implemented an age verification system, no longer offer pornographic content in France, or have been blocked at Arcom’s demand.

Some of these services, as very large online platforms, are also the subject of an investigation by the European Commission aimed at protecting persons under 18 throughout the EU.

Building on this determined action, Arcom today announces that it is taking action against 31 new websites that do not abide by the law. To this end, it is utilising the various tools entrusted to it by French (the SREN Act) and European (the RSN or DSA) legislators to ensure that these services implement age verification.

This is Arcom’s most extensive action to date in the field of protecting persons under 18 from online pornography.

According to audience data from Médiamétrie Netratings, the time spent by persons under 18 on pornographic websites has fallen by nearly a third compared with the level observed before Arcom’s intervention.

Arcom intends to continue its efforts to prevent the risk of users shifting their activity to sites not covered by the initial measures. It is also summoning a step-up in action at European level.