OnlyFans Fined £1 Million for Misleading Information Responses
Regulator Ofcom penalizes Fenix International for inaccuracies in age verification measures disclosed to the agency.
Ofcom, the UK communications regulator, has imposed a fine of £1.05 million on Fenix International Limited, the parent company of the subscription platform OnlyFans, for failing to provide accurate information in response to formal inquiries regarding its age assurance measures.
The fine comes after Fenix International admitted to providing incorrect details about its age estimation technology’s 'challenge age' in future correspondence with Ofcom.
In June 2022 and June 2023, Ofcom had requested information from Fenix about the age verification protocols implemented on the OnlyFans platform.
In January 2024, Fenix International alerted Ofcom to inaccuracies in the information previously provided regarding these measures.
This prompted Ofcom to initiate further investigations into the company in May 2024.
Suzanne Cater, Director of Enforcement at Ofcom, emphasized the importance of accurate and timely information from platforms, stating that it is essential for the regulator's operations and oversight of online services.
She reiterated the commitment of Ofcom to enforce high standards among platforms and take necessary actions in response to failures in compliance.
In response to the fine, an OnlyFans spokesperson acknowledged the significance of providing accurate information to Ofcom and expressed acceptance of the conclusion of the regulatory process.
Additionally, they noted that Ofcom had recently closed another investigation concerning the measures taken by the platform to prevent under-18 users from accessing adult content.
Relating to the prior investigations, OnlyFans attributed the reported inaccuracies to a 'coding configuration issue' concerning its age verification tools.
The company maintained that it has consistently fulfilled its responsibilities to safeguard minors from accessing restricted content.
The fine comes after Fenix International admitted to providing incorrect details about its age estimation technology’s 'challenge age' in future correspondence with Ofcom.
In June 2022 and June 2023, Ofcom had requested information from Fenix about the age verification protocols implemented on the OnlyFans platform.
In January 2024, Fenix International alerted Ofcom to inaccuracies in the information previously provided regarding these measures.
This prompted Ofcom to initiate further investigations into the company in May 2024.
Suzanne Cater, Director of Enforcement at Ofcom, emphasized the importance of accurate and timely information from platforms, stating that it is essential for the regulator's operations and oversight of online services.
She reiterated the commitment of Ofcom to enforce high standards among platforms and take necessary actions in response to failures in compliance.
In response to the fine, an OnlyFans spokesperson acknowledged the significance of providing accurate information to Ofcom and expressed acceptance of the conclusion of the regulatory process.
Additionally, they noted that Ofcom had recently closed another investigation concerning the measures taken by the platform to prevent under-18 users from accessing adult content.
Relating to the prior investigations, OnlyFans attributed the reported inaccuracies to a 'coding configuration issue' concerning its age verification tools.
The company maintained that it has consistently fulfilled its responsibilities to safeguard minors from accessing restricted content.
