Ofcom fines online forum £950,000 under UK Online Safety Act
Online platforms must prove UK illegal-content controls work in practice
Change
Ofcom fined the provider of an online forum £950,000 for failing to comply with UK Online Safety Act duties on illegal-content risk.
Why it matters
The action confirms that overseas user-to-user services can fall within UK Online Safety Act enforcement when UK users can access them. Ofcom treated ineffective UK access restrictions and unresolved illegal-content controls as continuing compliance failures. Platform operators must now treat risk assessments, takedown systems, reporting routes and geoblocking controls as enforceable evidence objects, not policy statements.
Implications
- — User-to-user platform providers accessible in the UK must complete suitable illegal-content risk assessments and show proportionate controls that reduce UK user exposure.
- — Trust and safety teams must verify that takedown, reporting and complaints systems operate effectively in practice — written terms alone will not satisfy the enforcement standard.
- — Overseas platform operators must test UK access restrictions before relying on geoblocking as a compliance response — Ofcom can escalate to court blocking if access remains available.
Who is affected
- — User-to-user platform providers accessible in the UK
- — Online safety, trust and safety, and content moderation teams
- — Legal and compliance teams advising overseas digital services with UK users
What to watch
- — 10 working days from 13 May 2026 — provider deadline to take specific compliance steps.
- — Ofcom court application — possible UK access-blocking order if concerns are not addressed and breach continues.