French media regulator Arcom announced on Wednesday, July 29, 2026, that it is initiating enforcement actions against 31 adult websites for failing to implement age verification measures as mandated by France’s Security and Regulation of the Digital Space (SREN) law.

This action represents Arcom’s most extensive age verification enforcement to date. The agency stated its intention to use "various tools" available under French and European law to ensure the targeted services comply with age verification requirements. The SREN law, adopted in May 2024, explicitly obligates online services making pornographic content available in France to implement effective age verification, rejecting self-declaration or simple click-through confirmations as sufficient. These obligations became fully enforceable in January 2025.

Enforcement Details and Targeted Sites

While Arcom's statement did not name the specific websites or providers involved, tech news site BFM Tech reported details of the enforcement. According to BFM Tech, 13 websites are slated for blocking or delisting via internet service providers, domain name resolution providers, and search engines. These sites include youjizz.com, pornoplus.com, amateurporn.com, and hentaicity.com. These measures are being taken due to the sites' unresponsiveness to the regulator's demands for age verification implementation.

Additionally, Arcom will engage with its counterparts in other European countries to address 13 sites operating outside of French territory. These sites include balancetanude.fr, lebon.porn, tube8, and xhlive.net. This cross-border enforcement follows a June ruling by the European Union’s Court of Justice, which affirmed France's right to require age verification from pornographic websites based in other EU states, provided France adheres to EU electronic commerce rules. These rules stipulate that France must first request the state of origin to adopt necessary measures for protecting minors. If the state of origin fails to adequately adopt and implement such measures, France must then notify the European Commission and the state of origin of its plan to adopt additional restrictive measures.

Five other websites, including borntobefuck, pornoone.com, and xfrenchies, have received a "letter of observation," which initiates Arcom’s enforcement procedures. These sites have 15 days to respond before facing further action.

Regulatory Context and Previous Actions

The current enforcement actions align with Arcom's broader strategy to ensure compliance with age verification rules. Since February 2025, Arcom reports that 35 of the most frequently visited adult sites in France have either implemented age verification solutions, ceased offering pornographic content in the country, or have been blocked at Arcom’s request.

In September 2025, Arcom announced a plan to escalate its enforcement of age verification rules to include smaller adult sites. The actions announced on July 29, 2026, appear to represent an expansion of that strategy, targeting a significant number of sites through various domestic and international mechanisms.

The legal framework for online age verification in France is robust, primarily focused on preventing minors under 18 from accessing pornographic content. This framework is supported by Article 227-24 of the French Criminal Code, which criminalizes allowing minors access to such material, and the SREN law, which strengthened online enforcement. The SREN law applies to both French and foreign websites where content is accessible from France.

Key Facts

  • French media regulator Arcom initiated enforcement actions against 31 adult websites on July 29, 2026.
  • The actions target sites for failing to implement age verification as required by France’s SREN law.
  • 13 sites, including youjizz.com and pornoplus.com, will be blocked or delisted domestically.
  • 13 sites, including balancetanude.fr and tube8, operating outside France, will be addressed through European cooperation.
  • Five sites, including borntobefuck and pornoone.com, received a "letter of observation" with a 15-day response period.
  • Since February 2025, 35 frequently visited adult sites in France have either implemented age verification, ceased operations in France, or been blocked at Arcom's request.