The AVMSD mandates that all audiovisual content, particularly content that might be harmful to minors, is appropriately rated, labelled, and restricted.
It aims to create a single market for audiovisual services while ensuring a high level of protection for viewers, particularly minors. This includes the use of age verification systems and parental controls on video-sharing platforms.
The AVMSD was significantly revised in 2018 to address the evolving digital landscape, particularly the rise of online streaming services and video-sharing platforms.
The Directive covers traditional television broadcasts, on-demand services, and, more recently, video-sharing platforms, including user-generated content.
The Directive can be traced back to 1989, but video-sharing platforms were only added at the end of 2018, with those provisions taking effect by September 2020.
For video-sharing platforms, penalties can include fines, content removal, or suspension of their operations within a Member State if they fail to protect minors or prevent the dissemination of illegal content. These are set by Member States.
Verifymy can assist services which choose to rely on age verification measures as part of their compliance strategy.
Verifymy’s age assurance solution for any online product, service or business, features the widest range of age verification and age estimation methods to ensure the highest pass rates possible with minimal business disruption.
