The democratization of adult content on the Internet has transformed digital uses. Today, creators of erotic content are becoming professional through specialized platforms. They allow them to broadcast, monetise and interact with their audience. While these platforms do not systematically fall within the pornographic sector per se, they must nevertheless comply with strict regulatory requirements in terms of identification, to protect users... and especially to prevent minors from participating in them. This is where KYC, or Know Your Customer, comes in, we'll tell you more in this article!
KYC is a process of identifying and verifying the identity of users.
First imposed on the banking and financial sectors for fight against money laundering, terrorist financing or fraud, this protocol is now used in many areas, including adult content platforms.
The objective? Guarantee that each creator is of legal age and in compliance with legal conditions.
This identity verification is based on official documents (passport, identity card, driver's license) often associated with a photo or a facial recognition video.
Adult content platforms, often incorrectly referred to as “pornographic sites”, allow independent creators to publish erotic images or videos. This content is then monetized through subscriptions or fee-for-service purchases.
However, their professionalization comes with increasingly heavy legal and ethical responsibilities.
The main objective of KYC is to protect minors, both as consumers and as potential creators.
French law requires platforms broadcasting pornographic content to set up a reliable age verification, not limited to the simple “I am over 18” button.
According to a Report of the Directorate-General for Enterprises (Ministry of the Economy), the verification systems must make it possible to ensure “that the minor cannot have access to a site or content prohibited to persons under 18 years of age”.
KYC, by requiring identity documents, is one of the safest ways to ensure compliance with this requirement.
In France, theArticle 23 Law No. 2020-936 of 30 July 2020 and the actions of theARCOM reinforce the obligation to verify the age for sites broadcasting content reserved for adults.
At the European level, similar initiatives are emerging, requiring platforms to have reliable, robust systems that comply with the GDPR.
Lack of compliance can lead to severe sanctions, administrative blockages, or legal actions.
The other key issue of KYC is traceability.
In case of distribution of non-consensual, stolen, or illegal content (the Revenge Porn, for example), platforms must be able to quickly identify the person responsible. Why? This allows a more effective moderation and reduces legal and reputational risks.
A standard KYC process consists of three steps:
Among the French platforms that take concrete action to secure access to adult content, MYM stands out for its responsible approach.
MYM allows adults to publish exclusive content for a major audience, in a secure environment.
To prevent minors from accessing content creation, MYM recently called on Finovox, a solution specialized in the detection of false documents.
Finovox is a French technology for the automatic detection of documentary fraud, based on artificial intelligence. Thanks to it, MYM can:
By partnering with Finovox, MYM goes further than simply verifying the majority: it guarantees that each creator account corresponds to a real person, of legal age, and authorized to publish.
This partnership is a perfect example of how a platform can combining technology, compliance and ethical commitment, to build a safer ecosystem for all.
