Australia Cracking Down on ‘Age Verification,’ Eros Says

Australia Cracking Down on ‘Age Verification,’ Eros Says

MELBOURNE — Eros, Australia’s adult entertainment trade group, said today that the federal government is issuing take-down notices to sexually explicit websites that are not complying with the Restricted Access System (RAS) Declaration.

The RAS Declaration requires Australian content service providers put in place systems to verify that people accessing R18+ content are at least 18.

In a statement today, Eros said “it is now clear that the Children’s e-Safety Commissioner is working with officers from the classification branch in checking Australian adults-only businesses online presence for compliance with the RAS Declaration.”

Eros recommended to member online adult site operators to host such sites outside of Australia.

“For those with content hosted in Australia, as an interim measure, remove images that are likely to be classified R18+, X18+ or RC (refused classification) for DVDs and/or Category 1 and 2 publications,” Eros said. In addition, “all members with an online presence should visit the Association of Site Advocating Child Protection (ASACP.org) and follow the instructions to ensure your site is using the RTA (Restricted To Adults) Label and is RTA Verified.”

Eros noted it previously worked with government officials to ensure that the RAS Declaration, which was implemented in 2007 as part of the Broadcasting Services Act 1992,  contained provisions that would protect its members.

But “in real terms, this meant that Australian adults-only businesses would by-pass the requirements for an RAS Declaration, so long as the content was hosted overseas,” Eros said. “Any content hosted with an Australian provider therefore constitutes an ‘Australian connection’ and is subject to an RAS Declaration.”

Eros said it is in the process of sourcing some “preferred” overseas hosting companies and will update members as soon as information is available.

The trade group said it would be available for questions from Australia adult businesses that could be affected by new enforcement measures, as well as those that received a take-down notice. Contact Eros’ Joel Murray at 0402 690 488 or joel@eros.org.au for queries.

Related:  

Copyright © 2025 Adnet Media. All Rights Reserved. XBIZ is a trademark of Adnet Media.
Reproduction in whole or in part in any form or medium without express written permission is prohibited.

More News

France Reinstates Age Verification Rule for EU Sites

France’s highest court, the Council of State, on Tuesday reinstated age verification rules for EU-based sites under the country’s Security and Regulation of the Digital Space (SREN) law, ruling in favor of the French government and against Hammy Media.

Whisper Fans Joins Pineapple Support as Supporter-Level Sponsor

Whisper Fans has joined the ranks of over 70 adult businesses and organizations committing funds and resources to Pineapple Support.

Utherverse Launches 'Red Light Center' Virtual World

Virtual reality and metaverse technology company Utherverse has launched its new virtual world, RedLightCenter.io.

European Commission Approves AV Guidelines, Unveils Prototype App

The European Commission on Monday released its final, approved guidelines for protecting minors online under the EU’s Digital Services Act (DSA) and made public a “white label” age verification app intended to help sites and platforms comply with age verification rules under the DSA.

New Membership Site 'Sluts Corner' Launches

R18 Entertainment has launched a new membership site, SlutsCorner.com.

Roxie Rae Relaunches Site Through XSiteAbility

Roxie Rae has relaunched her site through XSiteAbility.

Federal Appeals Court Vacates FTC 'Click to Cancel' Rule Pending Review

The U.S. Court of Appeals for the 8th Circuit on Tuesday vacated the Federal Trade Commission’s “click-to-cancel” rule aimed at making it easier for consumers to cancel online subscriptions, pending further review.

NYC Adult Stores Lose Challenge to Zoning Law, May Face Relocation

The U.S. Court of Appeals for the 2nd Circuit on Tuesday upheld a lower court’s decision to allow enforcement of a 2001 zoning law aimed at forcing adult retail stores out of most parts of New York City.

FSC Drops Florida AV Lawsuit in Wake of SCOTUS Decision

A U.S. district court judge granted on Tuesday a motion by Free Speech Coalition to dismiss the trade association’s lawsuit over Florida’s age verification law, a case that had been on hold pending the Supreme Court’s recent ruling on the constitutionality of state AV laws.

Show More