The UK's communications regulator has issued a significant fine of £1 million to a pornography company for failing to implement sufficiently robust age checks on its websites.
Major fine for failing to protect children
AVS Group Ltd, which operates 18 adult websites, was penalised by Ofcom for not having age verification measures deemed "highly effective" under the new Online Safety Act. This landmark legislation, which came into force in July, is designed to shield both children and adults from harmful content online.
In addition to the primary fine, the company must pay a further £50,000 for failing to respond adequately to information requests from the watchdog. This marks the third time Ofcom has fined a company in relation to the new online safety laws.
Strict deadlines and daily penalties imposed
Ofcom has given AVS Group a strict 72-hour deadline to introduce age checks that meet the regulator's standards. If the company fails to comply, it will face an escalating penalty of £1,000 per day.
Furthermore, a separate daily penalty of £300 will be applied until AVS responds fully to Ofcom's information requests, with this charge applicable for a maximum of 60 days. The regulator stated that while AVS had implemented a system it called "age verification," its investigation concluded the measures were not strong enough.
Wider crackdown on online safety compliance
This action forms part of a broader enforcement drive by Ofcom. The watchdog has opened investigations into 92 online services since the new rules took effect, prioritising sites with millions of monthly UK visitors due to the potential scale of harm.
Ofcom also revealed that one major, unnamed social media company could face formal action if it does not improve its compliance procedures. The regulator noted progress across the industry, with more than half of the top 100 most popular adult services in the UK now having introduced age checks, alongside platforms like X, TikTok, and Reddit.
Oliver Griffiths, Ofcom’s Online Safety Group Director, said: "The tide on online safety is beginning to turn for the better. But we need to see much more from tech companies next year and we’ll use our full powers if they fall short."
Technology Secretary Liz Kendall offered the government's full support for the regulator's actions: "Since the enforcement of the Online Safety Act, platforms have finally started taking responsibility for protecting children and removing illegal and hateful content. Ofcom has the government’s full backing to use all its powers to ensure that services put users’ safety first."
This case underscores the UK's hardening stance on digital safety, placing clear legal obligations on service providers to prevent children from accessing inappropriate material and setting a precedent for future enforcement under the Online Safety Act.
