Gender-Based Violence on Pornographic Platforms: A Gendered Reading of DSA Risk Assessments Reports

On Human Rights Day, CDT Europe is publishing a new brief examining how gender-based violence (GBV) risks are mitigated on major pornographic platforms. We analyse how XVideos, Pornhub (Aylo), and Stripchat evaluate GBV risks in their first Digital Services Act (DSA) Risk Assessment Reports. As these platforms begin navigating the DSA’s transparency obligations, their reports reveal significant inconsistencies in how GBV is defined, assessed, and mitigated.

Our analysis finds that platforms often fail to provide clear definitions of GBV, treat it as an isolated issue rather than a cross-cutting systemic risk, as well as offer limited evidence to support the effectiveness of their mitigation measures. Crucially, engagement with civil society and gender experts in the risk assessment process remains minimal, despite the sensitive nature of the content these services host and the heightened responsibility they bear to address gendered harms. These gaps risk leaving survivors and affected communities without meaningful protections.

In the brief, CDT Europe outlines recommendations to strengthen future risk assessments, including establishing comprehensive, human rights-based definitions of GBV, publishing disaggregated data on mitigation effectiveness, adopting intersectional and gender-responsive approaches, and engaging more robustly with civil society. As implementation of the DSA continues, CDT Europe will work to ensure that platforms uphold their obligations and contribute to safer online environments for all.

You can read the full brief here.