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LUXEMBOURG — The General Court of the European Union has upheld regulators’ original decision to classify adult camming platform Stripchat as a very-large online platform (VLOP) under the bloc’s Digital Services Act, despite the platform losing that designation in 2025.
Stripchat’s parent company, Technius Ltd., challenged the European Commission’s decision, arguing that the platform had been incorrectly designated as a VLOP. Under the EU’s Digital Services Act, platforms in this category face additional regulatory oversight and obligations involving user data protection, child safety and age assurance.
The designation is based primarily on a platform’s audience across the EU, with a threshold of 45 million monthly users, although the European Commission also has regulatory discretion in determining which services fall within the category.
Regulators removed Stripchat’s VLOP designation in 2025. However, the legal challenge before the General Court in Luxembourg continued. The case was originally filed in early 2023, alongside challenges brought by the parent companies of other major adult platforms, including Pornhub and XVideos.
Despite the 2025 reclassification, attorneys representing Cyprus-based Technius continued to contest the European Commission’s authority to designate Stripchat as a VLOP in 2023.
Technius’ attorneys argued that Stripchat should not have been subject to mandatory supervisory fees or direct oversight by the European Commission. The company also sought a ruling that could establish a legal precedent for similar cases involving other platforms.
The General Court ruled that the European Commission had acted lawfully when it relied on the audience data available at the time to designate Stripchat as a VLOP under the Digital Services Act. Although the platform subsequently lost that classification, the ruling indicates that the later change did not invalidate the original designation or eliminate its legal consequences. The decision also addresses the continuing relevance of obligations associated with the classification during the period it was in effect.
A central issue in Stripchat’s legal challenge was the reliability of the audience data used by regulators and whether the European Commission had adequately considered information provided by the company itself. The case also examined whether corrections to the platform’s audience figures, which led to the removal of its VLOP status, affected the legality of the original designation.
A Stripchat spokesperson said the company was reviewing the ruling and considering whether to appeal to a higher EU court. “We are reviewing the judgment with our legal advisors and considering the appropriate next steps, including the possibility of an appeal.”
The spokesperson added, “We remain committed to strengthening our safeguards, engaging constructively with the relevant authorities, and maintaining a safe and responsible environment for adult users while preventing access by minors.”
