UK regulator to probe 34 porn sites over age-checks
The UK's media watchdog said Thursday it has launched
investigations into 34 pornography websites over their compliance with new
age-check requirements to prevent children accessing harmful online content.
Ofcom said it would probe four firms that run the dozens of sites to assess whether they had "highly effective" age verification measures in place, after the new rules came into force last week.
The long-anticipated Online Safety Act, which took effect on July 25, aims to hinder youngsters from encountering content relating to suicide, self-harm and eating disorders as well as porn.
It requires websites and apps hosting potentially harmful pages and posts to implement age checks using measures such as facial imagery or credit cards.
Those found to be failing can face fines of up to £18 million ($23 million) or 10 percent of qualifying worldwide revenue, whichever is greater.
The new regime has been hailed by campaigners as a milestone in their years-long battle for stronger regulations but criticised by some -- particularly those on the political right -- as an assault on free speech.
Its rollout has reportedly prompted a huge spike in downloads of virtual private networks (VPNs) software, which allows browsers to appear as if they are in another country.
The most popular free apps on Apple's UK download store since last week have been VPNs, with one, Proton, reporting earlier this week a 1,800 percent rise in downloads, according to British media.
In its announcement Thursday, Ofcom said it had prioritised probing the four companies based on the risk of harm posed by the 34 sites they run and their user numbers.
Collectively, the websites had over nine million UK visitors per month, according to the regulator.
The new cases add to Ofcom's 11 existing investigations into various platforms, including 4chan, an online forum known for "incel" culture and rampant misinformation.
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