Ofcom fines porn site £1.35m for lacking age checks

UK Regulators Slam 8579 LLC with £1.35 Million Fine for Failing to Protect Minors from Adult Content

In a landmark move under the UK’s Online Safety Act (OSA), media regulator Ofcom has imposed a staggering £1.35 million fine on adult content provider 8579 LLC for failing to implement adequate age verification measures on its platforms. The company has also been hit with an additional £50,000 penalty for ignoring Ofcom’s requests for information, bringing the total fine to £1.4 million.

The fine marks another significant enforcement action under the OSA, which came into full effect in July 2025. The legislation mandates that websites hosting pornographic material must deploy highly effective age assurance mechanisms to prevent minors from accessing adult content. Ofcom has made it clear that non-compliance will not be tolerated, and companies that fail to meet these standards will face severe financial penalties.

Daily Penalties Loom as 8579 LLC Faces Ongoing Scrutiny

The penalties against 8579 LLC don’t stop at the initial fine. The company is now subject to a daily additional penalty of £1,000 until it implements robust age verification tools. Furthermore, it faces a daily fine of £250 for 60 days—or until it responds to Ofcom’s requests, whichever comes first. This ongoing financial pressure underscores the seriousness with which UK regulators are approaching online safety, particularly when it comes to protecting children from harmful content.

Ofcom’s Director of Enforcement, George Lusty, emphasized the regulator’s commitment to safeguarding young people online. “We’ve been clear that adult sites must deploy robust age checks to protect children in the UK from seeing porn. Those that fail to do this—or ignore legally binding requests from us—should expect to face fines,” Lusty stated.

A Pattern of Non-Compliance: 8579 LLC Joins a Growing List of Offenders

8579 LLC is not the first adult content provider to feel the full force of Ofcom’s enforcement powers. Earlier this month, Kick Online Entertainment SA was fined £800,000 for similar failures to implement adequate age checks. However, Kick has since taken corrective action, implementing age assurance methods that satisfy Ofcom’s requirements.

In December 2024, AVS Group Ltd was fined £1 million for non-compliance with the OSA, plus an additional £50,000 for failing to respond to Ofcom’s queries. The company has since rolled out age checks on some of its sites, demonstrating that swift action can mitigate further penalties.

Pornhub Pulls Back from UK Market Amid Regulatory Pressure

The crackdown on adult content providers has had ripple effects across the industry. In February 2025, Pornhub began restricting access to its website in the UK, a move widely interpreted as a response to the heightened regulatory scrutiny. The decision highlights the growing challenges faced by adult content platforms operating in jurisdictions with strict online safety laws.

4Chan Defiant as Ofcom Probes Online Safety Concerns

While many companies have chosen to comply with Ofcom’s demands, some have taken a more defiant stance. Online message board 4Chan, which is also under investigation by Ofcom for online safety concerns, has refused to pay a proposed fine, labeling it an “illegal campaign of harassment” against US tech firms. The platform’s resistance underscores the tensions between regulators and certain segments of the tech industry, particularly those based outside the UK.

OnlyFans Operator Fined for Inadequate Age Assurance Measures

The regulatory pressure extends beyond traditional adult content providers. In March 2025, Ofcom fined OnlyFans’ operator, Fenix International Limited, £1.05 million for failing to provide accurate information about the age assurance measures in place on the adult-only platform. The fine serves as a reminder that even popular, mainstream platforms are not exempt from the OSA’s requirements.

UK Government Proposes Tougher Laws on Non-Consensual Intimate Content

The UK government is also moving to strengthen its legal framework around online safety. Earlier this month, it proposed a new law that would force tech platforms to remove intimate content within 48 hours of being flagged as non-consensually shared or abusive. Under the proposed legislation, fines could reach as much as 10% of a company’s qualifying worldwide revenue, signaling an even tougher stance on online exploitation and abuse.

X Under Investigation for AI-Generated ‘Nudified’ Images

The push for stricter online safety measures comes amid growing concerns about the misuse of artificial intelligence. In January 2025, Ofcom launched an investigation into X (formerly Twitter), owned by Elon Musk, after the platform was found to be enabling the creation and sharing of AI-generated ‘nudified’ images. The probe highlights the evolving challenges regulators face as technology advances and new forms of online harm emerge.

Conclusion: A New Era of Online Safety Enforcement

The fines and investigations targeting adult content providers and tech platforms alike mark a new era of online safety enforcement in the UK. With the OSA now fully in force, companies that fail to prioritize the protection of minors and other vulnerable users face significant financial and reputational risks. As Ofcom continues to ramp up its enforcement actions, the message is clear: compliance is not optional, and the cost of non-compliance is steep.

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