LUXEMBOURG — Web Group Czech Republic (WGCZ), parent company of XVideos, has lost an appeal in the top EU court to be temporarily exempted from a requirement to publish a list of the site's advertisers.
Under the EU's Digital Services Act, XVideos was one of four adult sites designated as "very large online platforms" (VLOPs), a classification that requires a number of regulatory steps be taken, including disclosure of the site's advertisers. While challenging the designation in the Court of Justice of the EU, the company asked the court to temporarily stay the requirement until it ruled. The stay was denied.
As XBIZ reported, XVideos, along with Pornhub and Stripchat, was designated a VLOP because its monthly active users were determined to be in excess of 45 million. The three platforms sued the EU, contesting the data used to determine their status. Later, adult site XNXX was also designated a VLOP.
XVideos, which currently claims 31 million monthly active users, initially appealed to the General Court of the EU, which rejected its appeal last July. In September, the company appealed to the Court of Justice.
The company is now required to publish the list, as well as to pay the costs of the appeals process.