34 adult websites under UK regulator's scanner, here's what they need to do under the country's new Safety Act
Ofcom
launched formal investigations into four companies operating 34
pornography websites
for allegedly failing to implement mandatory
age verification systems
designed to protect children from accessing adult content online.
The companies under investigation – 8579 LLC, AVS Group Ltd, Kick Online Entertainment S.A., and Trendio Ltd – collectively attract over 9 million monthly UK visitors across their platforms. Ofcom prioritized these firms based on their user numbers and potential risk of harm to minors.
The investigations mark the first major enforcement action since age verification requirements took effect July 25 under the UK's Online Safety Act. The legislation requires pornography sites to use "highly effective" age assurance methods to prevent children from stumbling across adult material.
Pornography sites could face revenue-based fines if failed to implement age verification
by Taboola
by Taboola
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Ofcom possesses significant enforcement powers, including fines up to £18 million or 10% of a company's worldwide revenue, whichever is greater. In extreme cases, the regulator can seek court orders to block non-compliant sites or require payment providers and advertisers to withdraw services.
The investigations add to Ofcom's existing 11 probes into platforms including 4chan, suicide forums, and file-sharing services. Meanwhile, sites like Pornhub have pledged compliance with the stricter requirements.
The regulator expects to announce additional enforcement actions in coming weeks as it continues monitoring compliance across thousands of affected websites.
VPN usage surges as sites face scrutiny from government
Since the new rules launched, the UK has experienced a dramatic spike in virtual private network usage, with four of the top five free apps on Apple's App Store being VPN services. Proton, the most popular VPN app, reported an 1,800% increase in downloads as users seek to bypass geographical restrictions.
The Age Verification Providers Association reported an additional 5 million daily age checks across UK platforms since Friday, representing a massive increase from previous tick-box verification methods. Major sites like Pornhub have pledged compliance with the stricter requirements.
More than 400,000 people have signed a petition calling for the Online Safety Act's repeal, citing privacy concerns and potential overreach, though the government maintains no plans to withdraw the legislation.
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