Investigating 34 adult content websites for adherence to age verification measures under recent UK regulations
In the digital age, protecting children from online harm has become a top priority for governments and regulatory bodies worldwide. The UK, in particular, has taken significant strides in this regard with the implementation of the Online Safety Act, passed in 2023. The Act, which sets tougher standards for platforms to tackle criminal activity, with a focus on child protection and illegal content, has recently come under scrutiny as the British media regulator, Ofcom, launches investigations into four companies that collectively operate 34 pornography sites.
The investigations, prioritized based on the potential harm posed by the services these companies operate and their user numbers, are in response to the new age-check requirement rules that have recently come into force. These age verification checks are intended to protect children from encountering pornography across these websites.
The companies under investigation are 8579 LLC, AVS Group Ltd, Kick Online Entertainment S.A., and Trendio Ltd. The investigations are part of Britain's Online Safety Act, which requires pornography sites and other platforms hosting harmful content to implement robust age verification systems to prevent children from accessing them.
The exchange between the parties involved in these investigations took place in the context of the new age-check requirement rules recently enforced. The Populist Reform UK party, led by Nigel Farage, has pledged to repeal the Online Safety Act. In response to Farage's opposition to the Act, the Labour government, which supports the Act, has criticized Farage's party, viewing their stance as aligning with figures like Jimmy Savile, one of the UK's most prolific sexual predators.
Peter Kyle, technology secretary, accused Farage of endangering children by opposing measures designed to protect them online. Farage's party, however, calls the Online Safety Act a "massive overreach" that threatens free speech.
Ofcom, the UK’s communications regulator, has indicated it is actively monitoring compliance and could launch investigations if sites fail to meet age verification requirements. As of early August 2025, formal age-check compliance investigations under the UK Online Safety Act have not been publicly detailed for specific pornography site operators. However, Ofcom’s statements suggest readiness to start formal probes into sites with inadequate age verification, but no named investigations of the four pornography site operators have been confirmed or disclosed publicly yet.
Ofcom has the authority to impose fines of up to £18 million ($23.84 million) or 10% of a firm's qualifying worldwide revenue, or block non-compliant sites. The reporting of this exchange was done by Sam Tabahriti and Muvija M, with editing by Catarina Demony.
Technology plays a crucial role in the investigations launched by Ofcom, the UK’s communications regulator, as they prioritize compliance with the new age-check requirement rules under the Online Safety Act. The Act requires pornography sites and other platforms hosting harmful content to implement robust age verification systems, and non-compliance could result in fines or site blockages.
