Age Verification for Porn Sites Now Required in Italy

Key Facts

• New Rule: Italian citizens must verify their age before accessing pornographic websites.
• Implementation Date: The age verification system will take effect on November 12.
• Privacy Measures: The process ensures user anonymity by using a “double anonymity” system.
• Compliance Penalties: Non-compliant sites may face fines up to 250,000 euros.

Later this month, Italian citizens will have one extra step to go through before getting on porn sites. On Friday, Italy’s regulatory agency for communications, known as AGCOM, announced an age verification system that’s meant to prevent minors from accessing websites with pornographic content. The initial list of sites covers around 50 sites, including Pornhub, XHamster and OnlyFans.

What is the age verification system?

The new rule will require users to get verified through “certified third parties,” which could be another company, bank, or mobile operator that already has the relevant info. This system is designed to prevent minors from accessing pornographic websites.

The age verification process employs a “double anonymity” system to protect user privacy. Porn sites can only confirm if a user is of age, without knowing their identity, while the third-party verifier can identify the user without knowing the website they are attempting to access.

When will the new rule take effect?

AGCOM stated that the new rule goes into effect on November 12. Users will need to verify their age each time they attempt to access the affected porn sites.

Non-compliant porn sites could incur penalties of up to 250,000 euros. This emphasizes the seriousness of the enforcement of the new regulation.

How does Italy’s system compare to others?

Italy is the latest country in the European Union to implement age verification rules, following France’s similar system introduced in the summer. Meanwhile, the UK has also introduced its own age verification process, which requires either a selfie or government ID.

Since the UK implemented its rules, Pornhub reported a staggering 77 percent drop in visitors from that region.