Three associations seized the Superior Audiovisual Council (CSA) on Friday to block pornographic sites accessible to minors, one of its new prerogatives since the adoption of the law against domestic violence this summer.
The Observatory of parenthood and digital education (Open), supported by the National Union of Family Associations (Unaf) and by the French Council of Associations for the Rights of the Child (Cofrade), relies on a provision of this law which imposes an age control on the publishers of pornographic sites.
If this provision is not respected, the CSA can then initiate a judicial blocking procedure.
Six sites are targeted, including three variations of the French site Jacquie et Michel, emblem of so-called “amateur” porn also targeted by an investigation for rape and pimping, as well as the porn giant Pornhub, headquartered in Luxembourg.
"We gave them a few months, I think we were patient, now we whistle the end of recess," said on Franceinfo, Thomas Rohmer, president of the Open, Friday morning.
A simple warning message
"Pornographic websites which contain, for the sole measure aimed at restricting their access by minors, a simple
disclaimer
, in other words a warning message allowing the Internet user to declare that he or she is of legal age, are in breach and liable to prosecutions ”, recalls the letters of associations addressed to the CSA.
"In addition to these criminal proceedings, which questions of territoriality and competent judge make very complex, the new legal arsenal also allows to operate a blocking of the sites in question", he continues, citing the law against domestic violence.
"It is within the framework of this procedure […] that I am asking you to request the sites to comply with French law" and "in the absence of a satisfactory return from them within a fortnight, to launch the procedure for blocking referencing and access to these websites, ”the associations wrote.
An approach supported by the government
The Open, which has already lodged a criminal complaint against Pornhub because of its accessibility to minors, specifies having requested a bailiff "in order to draw up an Internet report" and invites the CSA "to give a copy to the Public Prosecutor's Office of all correspondence addressed to those concerned" .
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The Secretary of State for Children and Families, Adrien Taquet, "fully supports this approach" and welcomes the "relentless" action of the associations "to protect our children from the dangers of exposure to images which may shock ", According to a statement.
"With the evolution of technologies, the response to the exposure of minors to pornography must be protean: we are also working with all digital players on a prevention protocol," he adds.
