Porn provider fined £800,000 as 4chan refuses to comply with UK law

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A major pornography provider has been slapped with a massive fine for failing to protect children from adult content.

Ofcom announced today that Kick Online Entertainment SA must pay £800,000 after it failed to implement mandatory age verification between July and December 2025.

The penalty follows the introduction of the UK’s Online Safety Act, which made “highly effective” age checks a legal requirement as of July 25, 2025.

According to the regulator, Kick Online Entertainment ignored these rules for five months, only bringing its sites into compliance at the end of the year.

“Having highly effective age checks on adult sites to protect children from pornographic content is non-negotiable,” said Suzanne Cater, Ofcom’s Director of Enforcement. “Any company that fails to meet this duty – or engage with us – can expect to face robust enforcement action, including significant fines.”

In addition to the main penalty, the company faces a £30,000 fine for failing to respond to Ofcom’s inquiries, alongside a recurring daily fine of £200. While Kick has since updated its systems, the regulator warned that it is currently investigating dozens of other sites.

4chan refusing to comply

The crackdown has sparked a high-stakes legal standoff with the controversial US-based message board 4chan. While Ofcom has issued a provisional notice indicating a likely £520,000 fine for age-check failures, 4chan’s legal team has stated the company has no intention of paying.

The site’s lawyer, Preston Byrne, argued that 4chan has “broken no law in the only jurisdiction that matters – the United States.” He claimed that any attempt to enforce UK fines against the Delaware-incorporated company would violate the First Amendment, which protects free speech.

If 4chan continues to refuse payment, Ofcom’s next steps could be more aggressive than a simple fine. Under the Online Safety Act, the regulator has the power to apply for court orders to block non-compliant sites in the UK entirely.

This would force UK internet service providers to prevent users from accessing the platform. Ofcom can also seek “business disruption measures,” such as requiring payment processors and advertisers to stop working with the site.

“We continue to investigate other sites under the UK’s age check rules and will take further action where necessary,” Cater added, signalling that the regulator is prepared for a long battle with offshore platforms.

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