In numerous countries and U.S. states, laws now require platforms to prevent minors from accessing age-inappropriate material. But the need for safeguarding doesn’t end with age verification. Today’s online landscape also places adult companies at uniquely high risk for inadvertently facilitating exploitation, abuse or reputational harm, or of being accused of doing so.
In addition, credit card brand rules demand rigorous identity verification, age assurance, moderation and consent tracking for adult sites. Failure to comply can mean the loss of payment processing overnight — an existential threat for any platform.
New technologies are reshaping how platforms approach everything from age verification to content moderation, consent management and protection against nonconsensual image abuse.
This puts adult companies in a bind. Safety measures that result in a clunky user experience can lead to drop-off and make you miss out on conversions. On the other hand, weak safety protections can erode credibility and trust, or even decimate your bottom line.
The good news: New technologies are reshaping how platforms approach everything from age verification to content moderation, consent management and protection against nonconsensual image abuse. These advancements offer safety measures that can strengthen trust and protect users — without adding friction.
Low-friction age checks
One of the most critical online safety tech advancements is in age verification. Innovative, AI-driven methods that use existing user data can work with minimal friction.
Instead of interrupting the site experience with cumbersome ID uploads or app downloads, platforms can now deploy solutions that determine user age using minimal data, such as an email address. Where account creation is required, these checks can leverage data already collected by the platform. Where it isn’t required, users can quickly input their email to achieve the same result.
These privacy-preserving and inclusive age checks eliminate the need for sharing sensitive or intrusive personal data, while offering meaningful protection against underage access and ensuring secure access to 18+ content for adult users. They also comply with many age-related regulations worldwide, enabling platforms and sites to protect minors online without alienating adult users — a win for safety, user experience and business performance.
Smarter content moderation
Content moderation has always been a core safeguard in the adult space, but today’s tools go far beyond simple keyword filters. AI-powered systems now enable platforms to moderate content at scale, cutting operational costs and easing the burden on human moderation teams.
With advances in accuracy and efficiency, these systems can now detect more complex harms. They can screen text, images and videos for toxicity, violence or abuse violations, including harassment, grooming attempts or child sexual abuse material. Real-time tools allow faster, more precise intervention in live chat and voice interactions.
Of course, context matters. The most effective models keep humans in the loop, with AI handling volume and speed while human moderators handle nuance, especially when it comes to appeals, dispute resolutions or mitigating potential algorithmic bias or errors. This balance of automation and human oversight means complex, context-aware moderation is no longer a pipedream, but achievable right now.
Building trust through consent
Managing consent protects the rights, safety and dignity of individuals featured in content, as well as shielding platforms from severe legal penalties, reputational fallout and the loss of user trust. It also helps protect creators from having their content distributed without consent or proper safeguards, which can undermine their control over, and ability to monetize, their own work.
Fortunately, consent management is rapidly advancing as well, from performer dashboards offering granular content permissions to dynamic takedown systems spanning multiple platforms.
The key is integration. Consent tools must be embedded in a platform’s core architecture, not tacked on as a legal afterthought. Used properly, they enhance transparency, creator trust and user confidence.
Crucially, the most effective online safety solutions don’t treat moderation and consent as separate problems. They unite them, combining AI, machine learning and expert review with participant verification and consent. Making sure that every individual depicted has verified their identity and age, and given permission for recording and distribution, prevents reliance solely on content providers and the spread of nonconsensual material, whether posted inadvertently or maliciously.
As user-generated content platforms continue to scale, an integrated trust-and-safety approach that incorporates compliance with Mastercard and Visa regulations can reduce legal risk, build consumer confidence and strengthen the adult industry ecosystem.
Tackling image-based abuse at scale
Adult sites are disproportionately targeted by perpetrators of nonconsensual intimate image abuse, one of the most damaging forms of online harm. For better or worse, that means that adult sites also have a unique responsibility to lead in prevention.
Now, new technologies are making that possible. Beyond perceptual hashing and AI-powered nudity detection, forensic watermarking can now embed invisible, traceable markers the moment content is accessed. This creates accountability, making it easier to track the origin of abusive material and deter misuse before it spreads.
Equally important are survivor-centered systems that enable discreet reporting, evidence-based resolution and rapid takedown support. By investing in infrastructure that prevents abuse and supports creators, platforms can demonstrate zero tolerance for intimate image abuse while also strengthening trust, reducing reputational risk and staying ahead of tightening regulatory requirements.
Future-proofing the industry
As regulatory pressures mount and user expectations around safety, trust and consent evolve, platforms are beginning to view safety tech not as a compliance burden, but as a strategic differentiator, helping the industry move beyond compliance toward smarter, more ethical digital infrastructure that keeps users safe.
However, no single site or platform can solve these challenges on its own. Collaboration is essential. Shared standards for harm prevention are key, and solutions must be inclusive and accessible for large and small operators alike.
The opportunities are enormous, and forward-thinking companies are already implementing these fixes. By investing in tools that protect users, creators and platforms without disrupting experience, businesses can not only stay in compliance with laws and regulations, but also build stronger brands, foster loyalty and unlock business models rooted in trust.
Andy Lulham is chief operating officer at Verifymy, a safety technology provider whose services include age assurance, identity verification, content moderation and consent management. Verifymy helps online platforms create safe and compliant experiences with low-friction, privacy-preserving solutions.