Ofcom has imposed a £1 million fine on AVS Group Ltd for failing to implement sufficiently robust age verification measures across its 18 adult websites, повідомляє Baltimore Chronicle link to BBC. The company has also been ordered to pay an additional £50,000 for not responding to regulator information requests. AVS Group now faces the obligation to install highly effective age assurance within 72 hours, or it will incur an extra daily penalty of £1,000.
The fine represents the largest sanction Ofcom has issued under the Online Safety Act to date. The legislation mandates that all websites hosting pornographic material must employ what Ofcom defines as “highly effective age assurance” to prevent children from accessing explicit content. Despite the introduction of these legal requirements, AVS Group failed to meet the standards, prompting regulatory action.
In a related update, Ofcom disclosed that a major social media company is currently undergoing compliance remediation under its enforcement team. While the regulator has not revealed the platform’s name, it has indicated that formal action may follow if improvements are not adequately implemented.
Oliver Griffiths, director of Ofcom’s online safety group, stated that the fine reflects a turning point in online safety enforcement. “This year has seen important changes for people, with new measures across many sites and apps now better protecting children from harmful content,” he said. Griffiths added that tech companies must demonstrate further improvements next year, warning that Ofcom will exercise its full powers against those that fall short.
Ofcom has previously issued penalties to other companies for failing to implement proper age verification, including applications that create deepfake nude imagery. However, platforms like the online message board 4Chan have refused to comply with previous fines, such as the £20,000 penalty imposed over the summer.
The Online Safety Act is being rolled out in phases and aims to address practices previously described by Ofcom as leaving online platforms “unregulated, unaccountable and often unwilling to prioritise people’s safety over profits.” Mandatory age checks for adult websites were introduced in July, although some critics note they can still be bypassed using virtual private networks (VPNs). Following these requirements, Pornhub’s parent company reported a 77% decrease in UK visitors.
Baroness Beeban Kidron, founder of the 5Rights Foundation, commented that fines alone are insufficient to compel tech companies to comply. Speaking on the Today programme, she emphasized the need for stronger enforcement and regulator intensity, warning that businesses prioritize disruption over legal compliance.
This year, additional guidelines were introduced to enhance online safety for women and girls, with Ofcom pledging to identify platforms that fail to comply. Critics continue to call for stricter measures under the Act to ensure a safer internet environment, particularly for vulnerable groups.
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