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Italy Starts Age Checks on Porn Sites With February Deadline for Foreign Platforms

AgCom says services must adopt certified third‑party, double‑anonymity verification that protects user identities.

Overview

  • Italy’s rules took effect on November 12 for sites established in the country, while foreign‑hosted platforms have until February 1, 2026 to comply.
  • OnlyFans has activated an AgCom‑compatible flow using a Yoti QR code, but major portals such as Pornhub and YouPorn remained accessible without new checks in early rollout tests.
  • AgCom’s list targets 48 portals and requires verification by certified intermediaries so the site does not learn who the user is and the verifier does not learn the destination; SPID and CIE are not required to access content.
  • The regulator is trialing the European Commission’s Age Verification App with Italy’s digital department, with testing scheduled to conclude by year‑end.
  • Noncompliant sites face warnings, fines up to €250,000, and potential blocking, as consumer groups and operators also flag likely traffic losses and easy circumvention via VPNs.