4chan penalized £20K under UK Online Safety Act

Ofcom has fined message board 4chan £20,000 for failing to comply with its requests for information under the UK's Online Safety Act.

Ofcom has fined message board 4chan £20,000 for failing to comply with its requests for information under the UK's Online Safety Act, marking the first penalty issued since the law took effect in March 2025, The Register reports.

The regulator said 4chan ignored multiple demands to submit illegal content risk assessments and revenue data, and warned that daily fines of £100 could follow if it continues to disregard its obligations.

Ofcom also moved to sanction file-sharing service Im.ge and pornography provider AVS Group Ltd for similar violations, while expanding investigations into Youngtek Solutions.

UK Tech Secretary Liz Kendall said the fine demonstrates that the Online Safety Act is "not just law, it’s a lifeline," emphasizing the need to protect children from harmful and illegal material.

Other sites, such as Krakenfiles and Nippyshare, have avoided penalties by geo-blocking UK users, while Ofcom continues to push for stronger compliance measures, including the adoption of hash-matching technology.

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Sharon Florentine Editorial Director

Sharon Florentine is the editorial director for CyberRisk Alliance’s Channel Brands and acting editorial director for SC UK. She is responsible for setting strategy and editorial direction and developing content for news, features, analysis and other written content, moderates live webcasts, and oversees research projects. Sharon has previously held key editorial, content and leadership positions at DevOps.com, Security Boulevard, CIO.com, Ziff Davis Enterprise, and CRN, among others.