four sites begin to be blocked in France

Four pornographic sites begin to be blocked this Friday in France by internet service providers who have received court orders, confirmed SFR, Bouygues, Orange and FreeAFP.

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Insufficient control

The four sites in question – Xhamster, Tukif, Mrsexe and Iciporno – were targeted by a decision by the Paris Court of Appeal rendered in mid-October.

In this case, French justice was contacted by two child protection associations regarding insufficient or non-existent control of the age of users.

Ruling on the subject of several pornographic sites, it decided to block only those hosted outside the European Union.

In its decision, the court of appeal considered “the best interests of the child” like a “primary consideration”justifying infringing “other rights such as freedom of expression”.

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A decision expected at the level of the European Union

The blocking of sites ordered by the Paris Court of Appeal should continue “until the implementation by the latter of a control other than purely declarative of the fact that the users are of legal age is demonstrated”the court said.

With regard to sites hosted within the European Union, French justice will await a response from the Court of Justice of the European Union (CJEU) before rendering its decision.

According to the French audiovisual regulator, 2.3 million minors visit pornographic sites every month. From the age of 12, more than half of boys using the Internet visit these sites on average every month.