For years, a click was all it took. "Yes, I'm over 18," a button as easy as closing a pop-up. No one checked, no one asked. But starting November 12th, that screen disappeared. In its place came something more complicated: an app, a certified third party, a digital token to verify your age without revealing your identity. (are you sure?) the identity.
It's called "double anonymity," and it's the system AGCOM has chosen to block 48 adult sites, from PornHub to OnlyFans. The goal is clear: prevent minors from accessing content that, according to scientific studies, alters brain structure and affects emotional development. The age verification, gentlemen, it becomes mandatory.
How double anonymity works
Anyone wishing to access one of the 48 sites on the AGCOM list must first obtain a code from a third-party entity (a bank, a telephone operator, a certified company). This entity verifies that the person is of legal age and issues a digital token. The site only receives confirmation of age, nothing else. The system ensures that the certifier does not know which site you are visiting, and the site won't know who you are. Double anonymity, indeed.
Verification must be repeated each time you log in. No memorization, no shortcuts. ANSA reports that the system explicitly excludes SPID, which can only be used for public administration services. A dedicated app will replace it, likely based on European technology. T-Scy, already tested in five countries.
Italy is among the five pilot countries (along with France, Spain, Greece, and Denmark) that will experiment with the European age verification system.
From 2026, this technology will be integrated into the European digital wallet, allowing authentication via fingerprint or retina scan.
From the Caivano Decree to the list of 48 sites
The measure arises from Caivano Decree of 2023, approved by the Meloni government to combat juvenile crime. Article 13-bis requires operators of adult websites to verify the age of users. AGCOM published Resolution 96/25/CONS in May 2025, granting six months to comply. The final list was released on October 31: Pornhub, YouPorn, XVideos, OnlyFans, XHamster, Chaturbate, Live Jasmin and 41 other portals.
Those who fail to comply risk heavy fines. AGCOM can require compliance within 20 days and, in the event of non-compliance, block the site from Italian users. According to Virgil, some international portals may prefer to go dark rather than implement expensive systems.
Age Verification: Why Now, Why So?
Science has provided evidence that is hard to ignore. A research published in JAMA Psychiatry in 2015 showed that frequent exposure to pornography reduces gray matter in the caudate nucleus, the area of the brain linked to motivation and impulse control. In minors, whose nervous systems are still developing, the effects can be particularly severe: traumatic memories, distorted sexuality, and relationship difficulties.
The UK introduced similar controls in July 2025 with theOnline Safety Act. According to Wanted in Rome, after the introduction of the new British rules, Visits to Pornhub in the UK have dropped by 77%. The use of VPNs to bypass blocks has skyrocketed.
In Italy, it remains to be seen whether the system will actually work. The app isn't ready yet, time is running out, and many sites not on the AGCOM list will continue to be freely accessible. But at least this time, there's an attempt. It's not the fake button like before; it's something more serious. Perhaps too complicated, perhaps circumventable, but at least it's trying.
