The European Parliament has voted for robust age verification tools to prevent children from accessing online pornographic content.

The measure was part of an update to EU-wide definitions of the crimes linked to child sexual abuse (CSA).

Negotiations will now begin between the Parliament, the Council of the EU, which represents national governments, and the European Commission to determine the final shape of the law.

The proposed new Directive on Child Sexual Abuse Material (CSAM) would put an onus on pornographic websites to prevent children from accessing them.

It reads: “Disseminating pornographic content online without putting in place robust and effective age verification tools to effectively prevent children from accessing pornographic content online shall be punishable by a maximum term of imprisonment of at least 1 year.” (AM 186)

The move was welcomed by the Federation of Catholic Family Association in Europe (FAFCE), calling it “a major victory to protect children from pornographic platforms, that profit from suffering and violence”.

Vincenzo Bassi, President of FAFCE declared : “We welcome everything that supports the role of parents in their primary responsibility of educators: this proposal goes in that direction.”