UK Regulator Fines 8579 LLC £1.35 Million Over Age-Verification Failures
Summary
Ofcom fined adult-site operator 8579 LLC £1.35 million for failing to implement Online Safety Act age checks. The company also faces daily penalties and a separate fine for allegedly ignoring information requests; critics cite privacy and cybersecurity risks.
Key points
- Ofcom fined 8579 LLC £1.35 million for failing to verify users’ ages as required by the Online Safety Act.
- Ofcom says adult sites must use “highly effective” age-assurance measures, including photo ID matching or credit-card checks.
- The company faces an additional £1,000 daily penalty until it implements effective age checks.
- Ofcom also issued a £50,000 fine over information requests it alleges the company ignored.
- Civil libertarians warn that ID-based checks raise privacy and cybersecurity risks for users.
Article Details
- Event Type
- Regulatory enforcement action and fines for failing to implement age verification and for allegedly ignoring information requests.
- Impact
- Ofcom fined 8579 LLC £1.35 million for failing to verify users’ ages and imposed an additional £50,000 fine for allegedly ignoring information requests. The company also faces a £1,000 daily penalty until it implements effective age checks. Civil libertarians warned that ID-based checks pose privacy and cybersecurity risks to users.