Arcom has opened an investigation into MYM, but no breach has been established at this stage. Following an initial assessment, the French authority suspects possible breaches of the European Digital Services Act, particularly concerning the protection of minors, age verification and the transparency of the service. A request for information was sent to MYM on 14 October 2026, and the platform has fifteen days to respond.
For creators, the issue goes beyond a single platform. This news is a reminder that a business based on subscriptions, exclusive content or a paid community also depends on moderation, payment, access and compliance rules that the creator does not fully control. The right response is neither to condemn MYM before the investigation concludes nor to panic: it is to check what depends on the platform, what falls within the creator’s responsibility and what needs to keep working if conditions change. Information checked on 18 October 2026.
What Arcom has actually announced
In its press release published on 16 October 2026, Arcom states that it opened an investigation following an initial assessment of the service’s compliance with the Digital Services Act, often called RSN in French and DSA in English. This European regulation sets obligations for intermediary services and platforms accessible in the European Union.
The stated suspicions concern two groups of issues. The first concerns the protection of minors, particularly age verification. The second concerns the transparency of the service, including how its terms of use and recommendation systems are presented. A recommendation system is the mechanism that selects or ranks content shown to a user based on different signals.
Arcom sent MYM a request for information on 14 October. The platform has fifteen days to respond. This stage is specifically intended to gather facts and allow the service concerned to provide its explanations. At the time of this check, no final decision or penalty relating to this investigation had been announced, and no public response from MYM had been identified in the official sources consulted.
The scope is French and European: MYM is a platform established in France, while the obligations under examination arise from the European Digital Services Act. The principles outlined by the European Commission include understandable terms, transparency about the main recommendation parameters and a high level of protection for minors.
An investigation is neither a conviction nor proof of a breach
The wording matters. Saying that Arcom is “investigating” means that the authority is examining suspicions of non-compliance and requesting information. This does not justify stating that MYM has already breached the regulation, that all its content is unlawful or that its creators are themselves responsible for the issues being examined. Such conclusions would be premature.
Responsibilities also need to be distinguished. Age verification, service design, recommendation system parameters and the transparency of terms are primarily the platform’s responsibility when they concern its operation. A creator generally has neither access to the system’s code nor control over the verification method used by the service.
Creators nevertheless retain their own obligations: holding the necessary rights to published content, respecting the people filmed or photographed, honestly presenting what is sold, applying the relevant tax and contractual rules, protecting data they can lawfully access and complying with platform policies. The VIFLY guide to laws and regulations applicable to creators provides an initial overview, without replacing legal advice tailored to a particular situation.
The viewpoint VIFLY : a regulatory investigation should not become a pretext for stigmatising creators or speculating about a penalty. It should serve as a resilience test: can your creator business continue if a platform changes its rules, slows payments, removes a feature or strengthens its checks?
Why this concerns all subscription creators
MYM is directly targeted by the investigation, but dependency risk exists on all platforms that host an audience, distribute content and collect payments. Changes to terms and conditions, a new verification procedure, a territorial restriction or a category change can affect account access, content visibility or the payout schedule.
This dependency becomes critical when five assets are concentrated in the same place: original files, sales history, the relationship with subscribers, the payment method and the creator’s public identity. If the account becomes unavailable, the business loses more than a distribution channel; it may lose its records and its ability to communicate.
The point is therefore not to leave every platform. They provide distribution, payment tools and valuable simplicity. The aim is to prevent an intermediary from becoming the sole holder of your commercial relationship. VIFLY’s analysis of social media monetisation in France and the overseas territories already recommends distinguishing a borrowed audience from the customer journey that a creator can control.
This logic also applies when a platform appears stable. In the article about creators’ dependence on major platforms, the conclusion remains valid: the aim is not to replace one dependency with another, but to preserve your content, identity, offers and contact channels.
Two practical examples of preparation
Example 1: a videographer sells behind-the-scenes content and tutorials
An independent videographer offers a monthly subscription providing access to making-of videos, camera settings and question-and-answer sessions. Her content is not sensitive, but her entire business is concentrated on a platform: source videos, descriptions, messages and subscription history.
She starts by keeping master files, thumbnails and presentation text locally. She maintains a simple record of the rights used: music, images, client contracts and permissions from identifiable people. She exports available accounting documents and records the applicable payment and refund arrangements. Finally, she creates a stable public page explaining her work, without copying or diverting subscriber contact details she would not be entitled to reuse.
If the platform changes its rules, she can continue informing her public audience, republish content she is authorised to use and rebuild her offer. She is not circumventing the service’s terms; she is protecting assets she created herself.
Example 2: an artist works with adult models
A photographer sells editorial series reserved for her members. Some images are suggestive, but everyone depicted is an adult. Her main risk goes beyond the removal of a post: it concerns proof of consent, age and the scope of the rights granted.
For each production, she keeps a separate file containing the contract, permission to publish, commercial scope, duration, territories, proof of adulthood when needed and a list of the relevant files. She keeps these supporting documents separate from public content and restricts access to them. She describes the offer accurately, avoids ambiguous wording and regularly checks the platform’s categories and prohibitions.
She can then present her overall activity and other offers in a clearly organised LinkHub. This owned destination is not used to circumvent age verification or a platform rule. It maintains a professional identity, a consistent presentation and lawful contact channels.
Nuances, limitations and points to watch
The first point to watch is the presumption of innocence in regulatory matters. Opening an investigation does not establish a breach. MYM’s responses, Arcom’s assessment and any subsequent action may change the evaluation. The article will need updating if a decision, commitment or closure is published.
The second concerns the scope of the DSA. The obligations are not identical for every actor or service size. Applicable measures depend on the service’s legal role, its place of establishment and, for certain enhanced obligations, its designation. A creator should not infer from this investigation that they are personally subject to all of a platform’s technical obligations.
The third concerns subscriber data. Building a more direct channel does not mean freely exporting, scraping or reusing addresses, messages or information obtained on a platform. The service’s terms, the GDPR and the applicable consent requirements must be respected. An owned newsletter grows through voluntary subscriptions and clear information, not through secretly copied contacts.
The fourth concerns adult content. A backup or contract does not automatically make prohibited, non-consensual content, or content accessible to minors, lawful. The European Commission has published guidelines on the protection of minors which notably emphasise adapting recommendations and reducing exposure to harmful content. Sensitive situations warrant specialist legal assistance.
The fifth concerns alternatives. Another platform is not necessarily safer because it is smaller or based elsewhere. Before migrating, check its rules, payment processing, moderation policy, appeal mechanisms, security, permitted categories and territorial framework. VIFLY lets you structure a private content offer and create a subscription, but every creator must also check that their content complies with VIFLY’s terms and applicable law.
What should you do now? The creator resilience checklist
- Map your dependency. List what would disappear if your main platform were inaccessible for thirty days: files, revenue, messages, data, proof of sales and visibility.
- Back up your original assets. Keep the videos, photos, text, thumbnails, descriptions and accounting documents you are entitled to retain outside the platform. Actually test restoring a folder.
- Document rights and consent. Associate each production with its contracts, permissions, licences and necessary evidence. Clearly identify the people and files covered without publicly exposing the supporting documents.
- Reread your offer as a buyer. Check the promise, included content, price, frequency, cancellation, refunds and limitations. Essential information must be understandable before payment.
- Check the platform’s rules. Record when you last read the terms, the prohibited categories, the appeal procedure and age-related rules. Keep copies of important versions where permitted.
- Create an identity accessible outside the platform. Maintain a public page, a stable name and up-to-date links. Invite people to join your newsletter or community voluntarily, with clear information about how their data will be used.
- Prepare a continuity plan. Define where to inform your audience, how to fulfil services already paid for, whom to contact and which messages to use if an account is suspended or a payment is delayed.
- Follow facts, not rumours. Follow Arcom’s updates, MYM’s official communications and contractual changes. Do not announce a penalty or closure without a primary source.
The strategy is not to do without platforms. It is to organise your creator business so that a platform remains a distribution partner rather than a single point of failure. For subscription creators, compliance, documentation and continuity are not secondary administrative tasks: they are part of the product sold and the trust placed in it.
FAQ about Arcom’s investigation into MYM
Has Arcom penalised MYM?
No. As of 18 October 2026, Arcom had announced the opening of an investigation and a request for information. No breach or penalty is established in the press release consulted.
Why is Arcom requesting information from MYM?
The authority states that it suspects possible non-compliance concerning the protection of minors, particularly age verification, and the transparency of terms of use and recommendation systems.
How long does MYM have to respond?
The request was sent on 14 October 2026, and the announced response period is fifteen days. Any subsequent action will depend on the information gathered and Arcom’s assessment.
Are MYM creators being accused of breaches?
The press release concerns the service’s compliance. It does not justify collectively accusing creators. Everyone nevertheless remains responsible for their own content, rights, declarations and commercial commitments.
Should you immediately leave a subscription platform?
Not solely because an investigation has opened. It is more useful to assess your risk, back up your assets, document your rights, read the terms and prepare lawful continuity arrangements.
Can you freely collect your subscribers’ contact details?
No. Reusing data depends on the platform’s terms, the GDPR and the applicable legal basis or consent. An owned channel must be built through voluntary and transparent sign-up.
Sources
- Arcom, “Arcom opens an investigation into the French platform MYM”, 16 October 2026.
- European Commission, official questions and answers on the Digital Services Act.
- European Commission, guidelines on protecting minors under the DSA.
Checked on 18 October 2026. This article provides general editorial analysis and does not constitute individual legal advice.