OnlyFans Under UK Regulator’s Scrutiny for Failing Age Verification on Adult Content

Ofcom Launches Investigation into OnlyFans’ Age Verification Measures

U.K. Regulator Suspects Inadequate Protection for Minors

Ofcom, the U.K.’s regulatory body for broadcasting, telecommunications, and postal industries, has initiated an investigation into OnlyFans, a popular online adult content subscription service. The regulator suspects that OnlyFans’ parent company, Fenix International Limited, has failed to implement sufficient age-verification measures to prevent children from accessing pornographic content on the platform.

Incomplete or Inaccurate Information Provided by OnlyFans

Ofcom is also looking into whether Fenix may have provided incomplete or inaccurate information in response to two information request notices issued by the regulator in June 2022 and June 2023. These requests were intended to inform an upcoming Ofcom report on how video-sharing platforms (VSPs) like OnlyFans were safeguarding children from restricted material. However, Ofcom states:

“…the available evidence suggests that the information provided by OnlyFans in response to the two notices may not have been complete and accurate, and that the age assurance measures it had taken may not have been implemented in such a way as to protect under 18s from restricted material.”

OnlyFans’ Response and Age-Assurance Provider

An OnlyFans spokesperson explained that the company requires all fans to provide a name and payment card details, and it employs a government-approved age-assurance provider called Yoti. A coding configuration issue with Yoti led to a reporting error, which incorrectly stated an age threshold of 23 years instead of the company’s set threshold of 20 years. The spokesperson emphasized that the threshold was always above the legally required age of 18.

“OnlyFans discovered the reporting error and proactively amended our report to Ofcom,” the spokesperson said in a statement issued to The Zero Byte. “As the leading U.K.-based and regulated social media platform, OnlyFans works closely with Ofcom to implement and develop best-practices on online safety, including the use of age-assurance technology.”

U.K. Regulations and Ofcom’s Role

The U.K. has recently introduced new regulations under the Online Safety Act to govern online speech and media, but these rules will not come into force until later this year. As a result, Ofcom’s investigation is being conducted under existing regulations (the Communications Act 2003) that were amended in 2020, requiring U.K.-based VSPs to take appropriate measures to prevent under-18s from accessing pornographic material. Ofcom has been the U.K.’s official VSP regulator since 2020.

It is important to note that Ofcom’s investigation focuses solely on U.K. “fans” accessing the OnlyFans platform and not on the content creators themselves, who are already required to provide identification for verification during their onboarding process.