Age Verification Policy
Preamble
Copy link to “Preamble”desioart is a platform for adults who have turned 18. This policy describes how we make sure no minor gains access to adult content, no minor holds an account and no minor is depicted in content — and what that means for you as a visitor, a fan, a creator or a co-performer.
The policy implements:
- section 4(2) sentence 2 JMStV (the German interstate treaty on the protection of minors in the media) — a closed user group with reliable age verification
- Article 28 DSA (protection of minors on online platforms) and the provisions on the protection of minors at the company’s seat in Cyprus
- 18 U.S.C. § 2257 — proof of the age and identity of everyone depicted in content (2257 Statement)
- the age verification laws of individual US states and of other countries (section 7)
- Articles 9 and 22 GDPR, together with Privacy sections 2.2 and 4
This policy is one of the ancillary terms (Terms section 19.1) and applies to every user wherever they are: we verify the age of every user worldwide, not only in regulated countries.
1 The basic principle: a closed user group
Copy link to “1 The basic principle: a closed user group”desioart is a closed user group within the meaning of section 4(2) sentence 2 JMStV. In practice:
- Adult content is visible only after age verification succeeds. The block works server-side across every delivery route: unverified visitors and users receive neither media, nor captions, nor polls for posts that are not suitable for all audiences — only a notice card.
- Creators who publish content not suitable for all audiences do not appear for unverified users in trending, “new”, search, recommendations or on the promotions page.
- Every subscription, every purchase and access to messages require age verification — including with creators whose content is entirely suitable for all audiences.
- Content is not publicly indexable (no previews in search engines).
- Access runs only through the personalised, verified account session, and media are delivered through short-lived signed links.
What is visible without age verification (the public level suitable for all audiences, Creator Terms section 5.5): the stage name, a profile picture and banner suitable for all audiences, a shortened bio suitable for all audiences, captions suitable for all audiences, intro videos and promotional covers we have checked beforehand, and notices about promotions (discounts, trial periods). Until an item has passed our check, it is treated as adult content as a precaution.
2 The minimum age
Copy link to “2 The minimum age”The minimum age for using desioart is 18. That applies to:
- every fan, creator and co-performer
- everyone who appears in content, including by voice alone
- everyone who interacts with the platform (commenting, tipping, messaging, custom requests)
In countries and regions where a higher minimum age applies to adult content, the higher local minimum age applies as well, and we reserve the right to apply stricter verification levels there or to block access (section 7). Ticking “I am 18 or over” at registration is a self-declaration and does not replace verification; the same holds for signing in through Google, Apple, Discord or Reddit.
3 Our verification providers
Copy link to “3 Our verification providers”We use two separate, specialist providers — both processors bound by contract under Article 28 GDPR:
| Stage 1 — age verification | Stage 2 — identity check | |
|---|---|---|
| Purpose | proof that you are of full age — for every user and visitor | proof of who you are — for creators and co-performers in content not suitable for all audiences |
| Method | the methods the provider offers in each country; we require at least the “ENHANCED” level — never a bare self-declaration, never an email-based estimate | an identity document, a liveness check, comparison of the document photo with a selfie, a document authenticity check, sanctions and PEP screening |
| What we receive | only the result, the level, the time, the expiry date, a verification identifier and the country or region — no document images, no selfies, no biometric data | the result, the ground for refusal, the name and date of birth from the document, the document type and country, a hash of the document (for detecting multiple accounts) and the screening result; for 2257, a copy of the document in the separate records area |
| Provider and seat | a specialist provider established in Portugal (EU); hosted in the EU | a specialist provider established in Lithuania (EU) |
Biometric data (facial comparison, age estimation) is processed by the provider alone; we never have access to it. The biometric step rests on your express consent, which you give to the provider before it starts (Privacy section 3.2).
An automated decision: verification is an automated decision under Article 22 GDPR, and a human being reviews borderline cases. You have the right to have a person involved, to put your point of view and to challenge the decision (Privacy section 4.3; section 6.3 of this policy).
4 The two-stage verification model
Copy link to “4 The two-stage verification model”We use a two-stage model: age verification (stage 1) is the ticket in for everyone, while the stricter identity check (stage 2) is triggered only when it is actually needed for 2257, anti-money-laundering or payout compliance (“just in time”).
4.1 Stage 1 — age verification (every user and visitor)
Copy link to “4.1 Stage 1 — age verification (every user and visitor)”When: at the latest on first access to adult content, before a first subscription or purchase, and before access to messages; it is part of the onboarding checklist after registration.
How it works: you are sent to our verification provider, choose a method available there, complete it and come back to the platform. We receive the result and unlock your account. It usually takes under two minutes.
What we deliberately do not ask for: no upload of an identity document to us (data minimisation — the provider checks, and we store only the result), no address, no bank details.
Unlocked by stage 1: viewing adult content, taking out subscriptions, sending tips, buying pay-per-view content and media links, sending and receiving messages, and taking part as a co-performer in content suitable for all audiences. Creators can, with stage 1, create their profile, upload profile media suitable for all audiences and publish content suitable for all audiences.
Validity: until the expiry date the provider issues, which is shown in your account; after that, re-verification (section 5). Linked accounts of the same person inherit the verification (Creator Terms section 2.5).
4.2 Stage 2 — the identity check (when triggered)
Copy link to “4.2 Stage 2 — the identity check (when triggered)”4.2.1 Triggers for creators
Copy link to “4.2.1 Triggers for creators”| Trigger | When | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Before your first upload not suitable for all audiences | as soon as you mark an item as such, or our check classifies it that way; the upload waits at “review pending” until it is released | 18 U.S.C. § 2257; protection against impersonation |
| Before your first co-performer in content not suitable for all audiences | as soon as you add another person to such an item | 2257 records (Co-Performers) |
| Before paid messages and custom requests | as soon as you first send pay-per-view messages or accept custom requests | fraud and money laundering prevention |
| Before your first payout | as soon as you request a payout (Creator Earnings section 5) | money laundering prevention, sanctions screening, tax reporting |
Until stage 2 is passed you can set up your profile, bio, tags, media suitable for all audiences and subscription prices; revenue from content suitable for all audiences is credited to you but not paid out.
4.2.2 Triggers for fans
Copy link to “4.2.2 Triggers for fans”| Trigger | When | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Paying out referral commission | as soon as you, as a fan, have commission from the referral programme paid out (Terms section 10; minimum USD 100) | money laundering prevention, tax reporting |
| Refunds above a threshold | on a refund of EUR 100 or more, or refunds totalling EUR 500 within 30 days (in each case in the USD equivalent) | fraud and money laundering prevention |
Below those thresholds, refunds are processed without an identity check.
4.2.3 What stage 2 requires
Copy link to “4.2.3 What stage 2 requires”| Element | Requirement |
|---|---|
| An official identity document | a passport, identity card or driving licence (depending on the country; front and back) |
| A liveness check | a live capture through the provider, with anti-spoofing and deepfake detection |
| Comparison of the document photo with a selfie | carried out by the provider |
| Sanctions and PEP screening | against the EU, UN, OFAC and UK lists; PEP status |
| Bank details or a crypto payout address (creators only) | entered on the platform, with a 7-day waiting period after a change |
| Tax details (creators only) | tax ID, VAT ID where applicable, W-9 or W-8BEN where there is a US connection, the DAC7 self-declaration |
| The 2257 confirmation (creators only) | a required confirmation: “I am of full age and publish only content in which everyone depicted is of full age and verified” |
Unlocking: as soon as the provider reports a pass, the feature that triggered it (an upload not suitable for all audiences, a payout, a refund) is unlocked automatically. In individual cases (irregularities, a sanctions hit, a contradiction between the details given) we may carry out an additional manual review, and we then tell you within 3 working days.
4.3 Users in regulated countries
Copy link to “4.3 Users in regulated countries”There is no separate procedure for individual countries: the same stage 1 verification, at the minimum “ENHANCED” level, applies to everyone. Where national requirements prescribe particular methods, we make the methods permitted there available through the provider, or restrict access (section 7).
5 Re-verification
Copy link to “5 Re-verification”5.1 When your age verification expires
Copy link to “5.1 When your age verification expires”Your age verification has an expiry date (section 4.1). We remind you 30 days, 7 days and on the day it expires, by email and in your account. After it expires, the block in section 1 applies until you verify again: adult content, new subscriptions, purchases and messages are no longer available, while areas suitable for all audiences and your account settings stay accessible. Your account is not suspended. Running subscriptions continue but are not renewed while your verification has expired — you pay nothing for content you cannot see. Once you verify again, renewal resumes; and you can cancel at any time.
5.2 Re-checks for a particular reason
Copy link to “5.2 Re-checks for a particular reason”We may additionally require a fresh age or identity check at any time where:
- your identity document expires, or verified details change (your name, your payout details)
- the country you connect from differs persistently from the country of your verification (a suspicion of circumvention, section 7.4)
- reports or checks give grounds to suspect that an account is not being used by the verified person, or that a minor is involved
- there are technical indications of an account takeover (sign-ins from several countries in a short time, a run of new payment methods)
- you, as a creator, give or renew a general consent as a co-performer (the verification level is checked again with every automatic consent)
- legal requirements change (new verification standards)
5.3 What happens while a re-check is outstanding
Copy link to “5.3 What happens while a re-check is outstanding”- Until it is complete, the block in section 5.1 applies; for identity checks (stage 2), uploads not suitable for all audiences and payouts are halted as well.
- If you do not complete a re-check we have asked for within 30 days, we may suspend the account temporarily; any balance remains yours and is paid out once the check succeeds (Creator Earnings section 3.2). A permanent ban follows only where a breach is confirmed (section 6.4) and after a four-eyes review.
6 When verification fails
Copy link to “6 When verification fails”6.1 Trying again
Copy link to “6.1 Trying again”Where an attempt fails, you can repeat it. The provider may limit how many attempts are possible in a given period. Some tips: good light, the whole document with no reflections, a stable connection, a current original document, and no photographs of photographs.
6.2 Manual review
Copy link to “6.2 Manual review”After repeated failures, or in borderline cases, a trained member of the provider’s staff or of our team examines the case. You receive the result by email within 3 working days. With technical problems, support@desioart.com can help.
6.3 Final failure, and appeals
Copy link to “6.3 Final failure, and appeals”Where the manual review does not produce a positive result either, access to adult content stays blocked, and an account may be closed. You can challenge the decision within 6 months through Appeals (appeals@desioart.com), and propose further evidence or an alternative method; a human being decides the appeal (Article 22(3) GDPR).
6.4 Manipulation
Copy link to “6.4 Manipulation”Where a verification attempt uses forged, borrowed or synthetic documents, manipulated liveness captures or several identities, we ban the account permanently, preserve the evidence and, where necessary, report it to the police. The hashed device characteristics feed into our circumvention protection (Acceptable Use section 5.1, Privacy section 7.1). Where a check establishes that a minor holds an account, it is closed at once, any balance is not paid out (Acceptable Use section 1.2), and the case is handled as section 10 describes.
7 Geoblocking
Copy link to “7 Geoblocking”7.1 The principle
Copy link to “7.1 The principle”Because we verify every user, we meet the age verification requirements in most countries with no separate measures. In countries and regions where adult content is prohibited, where sanctions apply, or where the legal requirements differ from our procedure, we block access. The current list is at legal.desioart.com/geoblock and forms part of this policy.
7.2 Currently blocked
Copy link to “7.2 Currently blocked”- US states with age verification laws of their own whose particular requirements we do not implement separately — the states concerned are named on the geoblock page
- Sanctioned countries and territories under the EU, UN, UK and OFAC lists — the same list also blocks payment processing
- the United Kingdom (section 7.3)
Creators can additionally block countries of their own where they do not want their profile to be visible (Creator Terms section 10.5); the platform’s own blocks they cannot lift.
7.3 The United Kingdom
Copy link to “7.3 The United Kingdom”The platform is not available in the United Kingdom. The duties there for providers of adult content (the Online Safety Act 2023) go beyond age verification; we do not implement them at present and therefore block access from the United Kingdom entirely — for visitors, fans and creators. Existing accounts whose connection or verification country is the United Kingdom cannot be used; balances are paid out under Creator Earnings. Should we open the platform there later, we will say so under section 13.
7.4 Attempts at circumvention
Copy link to “7.4 Attempts at circumvention”Circumventing geoblocking or age verification technically (a VPN or proxy used for that purpose, spoofing your location, passing on a verified account, using someone else’s identity document) is prohibited (Acceptable Use sections 5.1 and 8). We compare the country you connect from with the country of your verification; where they differ persistently we may require a fresh check or block access. Using a VPN privately, without that purpose, is allowed.
8 People in content: the 2257 duty and co-performers
Copy link to “8 People in content: the 2257 duty and co-performers”Everyone recognisable in content on the platform (by image, video or identifiable voice) must be verified and must have consented before publication:
| Content | Verification of the person taking part | Consent |
|---|---|---|
| Suitable for all audiences | age verification (stage 1) | consent per item, or general consent |
| Not suitable for all audiences | the identity check (stage 2) | consent per item; general consent only where you give it expressly and separately (Co-Performers) |
How it works for co-performers without a creator account of their own: the creator invites the person by link (valid for 48 hours, usable once), the person verifies at the right level and confirms that they are taking part and consent; only then can the content be published. A withdrawal means the content concerned is hidden at once, until it is removed or the person is obscured. An automatic count of people on upload (on your own device, with no facial recognition) checks whether consents exist for everyone visible. The details are in Co-Performers and 2257 Statement.
Content without complete verification and consent is blocked automatically before publication. The records (the copy of the identity document, aliases, consents, time codes) are kept by us, as records custodian, in an immutable archive (2257 Statement), not by the verification provider.
9 Verification badges on a profile
Copy link to “9 Verification badges on a profile”| Badge | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Verified | the creator has passed the identity check (stage 2) — a real, identified person |
| 18+ | the creator publishes content not suitable for all audiences (visible only to verified viewers) |
| AI / Human | whether this is an AI creator or AI persona, or a human creator (Acceptable Use section 4) |
The “verified”, “18+” and “AI” badges cannot be switched off — they are marks of trust and transparency, not marketing. Other badges you can show or hide in your privacy settings. Fans receive no public verification badge; their status matters only to them and — as a “verified fan” — for payout hold periods (Creator Earnings section 3.1).
10 Reporting suspicions
Copy link to “10 Reporting suspicions”10.1 Suspecting that a user is a minor
Copy link to “10.1 Suspecting that a user is a minor”If you suspect that an account is being used by a minor, report it at once:
- through the “Report” button on the profile, post or message → the “minor” category
- without an account at desioart.com/report (anonymously if you wish)
- by email to abuse@desioart.com (subject “Suspected minor — [username]”)
These reports have the highest priority (Acceptable Use section 10.1): reviewed within 24 hours, with an immediate provisional ban where the suspicion is well founded, preservation of evidence and, if confirmed, closure of every linked account and a report to the competent bodies (section 11).
10.2 Suspecting that a minor appears in content
Copy link to “10.2 Suspecting that a minor appears in content”The same procedure, through the “CSAM / minors in content” category or abuse@desioart.com. The content is blocked at once, the records under section 8 are examined and preserved, and if confirmed a report follows under Article 18 DSA and to NCMEC. Those affected can additionally turn to NCMEC “Take It Down” (desioart.com/ncmec-takeitdown).
10.3 Protecting those who report
Copy link to “10.3 Protecting those who report”Anyone who reports in good faith stays anonymous towards the person reported (Article 16 DSA; Privacy section 15.3). Reports known to be false, or abusive, we deal with under Acceptable Use section 10.6.
11 Working with the authorities
Copy link to “11 Working with the authorities”We work with law enforcement and supervisory authorities and with recognised reporting bodies — on a legal basis and on the record (Moderation, Privacy section 5.3):
- Cyprus (our seat): the Cyprus Police Cybercrime Unit; the Office of the Commissioner for Personal Data Protection; the Cypriot Digital Services Coordinator
- Germany: the Bundeskriminalamt, jugendschutz.net, the Commission for the Protection of Minors in the Media (KJM), the state media authorities
- EU: Europol, the INHOPE hotlines, the EU transparency database (DSA)
- USA: NCMEC (the CyberTipline, a 24-hour reporting route), the competent federal agencies for 2257 inspections
- United Kingdom: the Internet Watch Foundation (hotline)
Requests from authorities reach us at legal@desioart.com (subject “Law Enforcement Request”) and are handled without delay (Articles 9 and 10 DSA); identity data we disclose only on a lawful order.
12 Data protection for verification data
Copy link to “12 Data protection for verification data”How we process your verification data is described in Privacy sections 2.2, 4 and 7. In summary:
- Where it is stored: the raw data (document images, selfies, biometrics) stays with the provider; with us only results, identifiers and — for creators and co-performers in content not suitable for all audiences — the 2257 records in a separate, immutable archive
- How long: the age verification result until it expires or you verify again (with a 5-year history); the identity check for 5 years after the business relationship ends (anti-money-laundering law); 2257 records for 7 years; history events free of personal data for 2 years
- The legal bases: a legal obligation (protection of minors, money laundering prevention, 2257 so far as it applies), performance of the contract, and legitimate interests (preventing abuse); for the biometric step, express consent given to the provider
- Purpose limitation: we never use verification data for marketing or recommendations; the country of your verification feeds only into aggregate statistics and into the tax and geoblocking rules
- Transfers: the identity check provider processes in Lithuania (EU) and the age verification provider in Portugal or in EU data centres; reports to NCMEC (USA) only in confirmed cases
13 Updates to this policy
Copy link to “13 Updates to this policy”We review this policy at least every six months to keep it current (the JMStV, US state laws, the EU age verification app and the eIDAS 2 wallet, the AI Act). Where a change is substantial we tell you 30 days beforehand (creators at least 15 days, Article 3 of Regulation (EU) 2019/1150) by email and in your account; changes the law requires at once take effect without delay.
14 Contact
Copy link to “14 Contact”| Matter | Channel |
|---|---|
| Verification problems (technical) | support@desioart.com |
| Questions about the identity check (stage 2, KYC) | compliance@desioart.com |
| Suspected minors | abuse@desioart.com · desioart.com/report (handled within 24 h) |
| Data protection and verification data | privacy@desioart.com · dpo@desioart.com |
| Requests from authorities | legal@desioart.com |
| Appeals | appeals@desioart.com |
| 2257 Records Custodian | records-custodian@desioart.com |
Postal address: 1 Apriliou 52, 7600 Athienou, Larnaca, Cyprus