On the first day of the Digital Statute of Children and Adolescents (ECA Digital) implementation in Brazil, several pornographic websites continued to allow users to self-declare their age without proper verification.
On Tuesday, following the enforcement of the Digital Statute of Children and Adolescents (ECA Digital), several pornographic websites like RedTube and Pornhub continued to accept user self-declarations of age. This law prohibits the use of such practices, mandating that platforms hosting inappropriate content for minors employ more robust age verification mechanisms rather than simply relying on a checkbox confirming users are over 18. g1 contacted these platforms expecting responses regarding compliance.
Despite the new regulations, there seems to have been little to no practical change on these sites from the previous day. Accessing these services shows the same processes in place as before the law took effect. The ECA Digital also requires social media platforms frequented by children and adolescents to implement measures that mitigate exposure to inappropriate content. However, as reported, these obligations appear to have been largely overlooked in practice.
Additionally, this situation raises significant concerns about the effectiveness of age verification online, particularly as platforms like Discord have announced intentions to enforce stricter measures like facial recognition or document submissions in the future. This ongoing lack of compliance with ECA Digital highlights the challenges of enforcing regulations in a digital environment where age verification can be easily circumvented and the protection of minors remains a pressing concern.
