Cyprus has become a country attracting platforms for distributing pornographic material, with five already operating.
This is what emerges from the response of the Broadcasting Authority to a question from AKEL MP Nikos Kettiros.
Specifically, Kettiros, with a question he submitted on 20th February 2024 to the Minister of Energy, Commerce, and Industry, George Papanastasiou, asked him to inform the House of Representatives about “how many and which companies producing and/or promoting pornographic material via the internet are operating in Cyprus.”
In the response, it is stated that until now (as provided for in Article 32 E (7)), they have informed the Authority of their establishment in the Republic and have submitted the relevant Notification Forms, which are examined by the Authority.
The following video sharing platforms are listed…: The names of the five companies are then recorded, and it is clarified that one of them (which is named), in its relevant notification form, states that it believes it does not meet the criteria for classification as a platform, as specified in Article 2 of Law 7(I)/1998. This matter is being examined by the Broadcasting Authority.
Notably, platforms that broadcast pornographic material are classified as platforms that “promote information, entertainment, or education.”
Also noteworthy is the reference (in the response) that, according to EU policy, videos can also be produced by the users of the platforms.
More specifically, in the Minister’s response (provided through the Broadcasting Authority), the following is also recorded:
According to a decision of the Ministerial Council dated 2nd February 2024, the Cyprus Broadcasting Authority has been appointed as the National Coordinator for Digital Services and the Competent Authority for the enforcement and implementation of Regulation (EU) 2022/2065 concerning the single digital market for digital services.
According to this Regulation, the Authority has the responsibility for supervising the market of video-sharing services, including platforms for sharing adult content, in accordance with the provisions of the Radio and Television Organisations Laws 7(I)/1998 and 197(I)/2021.
The response also records Article 2 of Law 7(I)/1998 which states:
“‘Video-sharing platform service’ means the service defined in Articles 56 and 57 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union, where the main purpose of the service or a separable part thereof or a basic function of the service is to provide to the general public either programmes, user-generated videos, or both, for which the video-sharing platform provider has no editorial responsibility, for the purpose of information, entertainment, or education, through electronic communication networks and whose organisation is determined by the video-sharing platform provider, including using automated means or algorithms, especially by display, tagging, and sequencing.”
Until now, as provided for in Article 32 E (7), they have informed the Authority of their establishment in the Republic and have submitted the relevant Notification Forms, which are examined by the Authority, the following video sharing platforms are listed (the platforms are named).
According to Law 7(I)/1998, the Cyprus Broadcasting Authority has the competence to exercise control regarding compliance by video-sharing platform providers, which, according to Article 32 E, fall under the jurisdiction of the Republic, of the provisions of Part IXA of the aforementioned Law, and of Regulations issued under it, as well as circulars, guidelines, and recommendations of the Authority.
