Summary
The UK regulator Ofcom fined the U.S. message board 4Chan £520,000 for not following the Online Safety Act. 4Chan, which disagrees with the fines, argues that its actions are legal under U.S. law and has refused to pay. Ofcom has issued many fines to tech companies for similar breaches, but most of the money has not been collected.
Key Facts
- Ofcom fined 4Chan £520,000 for breaking the UK Online Safety Act rules.
- Of the total fine, £450,000 is for not implementing age checks to block children from seeing adult content.
- 4Chan's lawyer mentioned that the platform's actions are legal and protected by U.S. law.
- Ofcom stated that online platforms must follow safety standards similar to offline regulations like those for alcohol or gambling.
- 4Chan has not paid any fines from Ofcom before.
- Ofcom has issued nearly £3 million in fines worldwide for online safety law breaches, but much of it remains unpaid.
- Other companies have either paid their fines or complied with regulations by adding age verification.
- 4Chan is challenging Ofcom's enforcement by launching legal action in the U.S.
