OnlyFans faces UK probe into age-verification measures

"OnlyFans works closely with Ofcom to implement and develop best-practices on online safety, including the use of age-assurance technology," an OnlyFans spokeswoman said. She said the UK-based company uses age-assurance provider Yoti but a coding configuration issue led to a reporting error, which stated a threshold was set to 23 years-of-age, during a period of time when it had been set to 20.

Britain's media regulator Ofcom has opened an investigation into whether adults-only website OnlyFans is doing enough to prevent children accessing pornography on its platform, it said on Wednesday. "Having reviewed submissions we received from OnlyFans in response to formal information requests, we have grounds to suspect the platform did not implement its age-verification measures in such a way as to sufficiently protect under-18s from pornographic material," the watchdog said.

Ofcom said it is also investigating whether OnlyFans failed to comply with its duties to provide complete and accurate information in response to statutory requests. "OnlyFans works closely with Ofcom to implement and develop best-practices on online safety, including the use of age-assurance technology," an OnlyFans spokeswoman said.

She said the UK-based company uses age-assurance provider Yoti but a coding configuration issue led to a reporting error, which stated a threshold was set to 23 years-of-age, during a period of time when it had been set to 20. "OnlyFans discovered the reporting error and proactively amended our report to Ofcom," the spokeswoman added.

The issue related to UK-based "Fans" only. The media regulator gained new powers when Britain's Online Safety Act came into law last year, requiring social media companies to stop children accessing pornography and harmful content.

Under the law, Ofcom can fine companies that don't comply up to 18 million pounds or 10% of their global revenue, whichever is greater. While the new law is being implemented in phases, Ofcom continues to regulate video-sharing platforms established in the UK under the pre-existing regime, which includes requiring platforms to take measures to prevent children under the age of 18 from accessing pornographic material.

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