The UK's communications regulator, Ofcom, has imposed a substantial £1 million fine on a major pornography provider for failing to implement sufficiently robust age verification checks. The enforcement action marks a significant step under the new Online Safety Act rules that came into force in July.
Major fine for inadequate age checks
The company, AVS, which operates 18 adult websites with millions of monthly UK users, was found to have age checks that were easily bypassed. According to Oliver Griffiths, Ofcom's online safety group director, the systems lacked 'liveness' detection, meaning a simple photograph of another person could be used to gain access. "They just weren't good enough," Griffiths stated in an interview with Sky News on Thursday 4 December 2025.
In addition to the primary fine, AVS was separately penalised £50,000 for not responding to information requests from the regulator. Ofcom has given the company 72 hours to introduce "highly effective" age verification measures or face a further daily fine of £1,000 until compliance is achieved.
Impact of the new online safety rules
The fine coincided with the release of new Ofcom data measuring the early effects of the Online Safety Act. The report indicates a notable increase in children encountering age checks when trying to access restricted content. 47% of children aged eight to 17 reported seeing an age check after the July deadline, compared to 30% before the rules took effect.
Furthermore, 58% of parents surveyed believe the new measures are already improving child safety online, with 36% noticing a potential impact on their own child's online activity.
Government backing and ongoing controversy
Technology Secretary Liz Kendall affirmed the government's "full backing" for Ofcom to use all its powers in enforcing the rules. "Since the enforcement of the Online Safety Act, platforms have finally started taking responsibility for protecting children and removing illegal and hateful content," she said.
This is the third company fined under the new regime, following the forum 4chan, which received a £20,000 penalty in October. However, the age verification rules remain contentious. Critics argue some checks are too easy to circumvent, while others raise security concerns about users having to submit facial images to third-party websites.
The decisive action against AVS signals Ofcom's commitment to holding online platforms accountable, as the regulator continues its investigations into non-compliant websites identified shortly after the July deadline.
