July 31,2025 — UK media regulator Ofcom has launched investigations into 34 pornography websites that are suspected of failing to comply with new age verification requirements mandated under the Online Safety Act.
The probe, announced on Wednesday, marks one of the first major enforcement actions under the sweeping legislation aimed at enhancing online child safety. The law, which came into effect earlier this year, requires websites that host adult content to implement strict age verification systems to prevent access by users under the age of 18.
Ofcom said the websites in question were contacted earlier and asked to demonstrate compliance with the Act. However, the regulator found that a number of operators either failed to respond or did not meet the minimum legal standards for age assurance.
“Protecting children is at the heart of the Online Safety Act,” an Ofcom spokesperson said. “Our investigations will determine whether these sites have broken the law, and if so, we will not hesitate to take enforcement action, including imposing fines or blocking access to the sites in the UK.”
Under the Act, companies that fail to comply with age verification requirements face fines of up to £18 million or 10% of global annual turnover, whichever is higher. Ofcom is also empowered to instruct internet service providers and search engines to block access to non-compliant platforms within the UK.
The law stipulates that acceptable age verification measures may include credit card checks, government-issued ID, or third-party verification services. However, the implementation of these systems has raised data privacy concerns among digital rights advocates.
Responding to such concerns, Ofcom clarified that the verification methods must be privacy-preserving and proportionate, and must not involve storing personal data unnecessarily. The regulator is reportedly working with the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) to ensure that enforcement does not infringe on user privacy rights.
Industry observers say the investigation is a signal to the wider sector to ensure full compliance with the new regulations. “This is a significant step toward making the internet safer for children,” said a spokesperson from a UK-based online safety NGO. “But enforcement must be transparent and privacy-conscious.”
The 34 websites currently under investigation have not been publicly named. Ofcom indicated that further enforcement actions could be taken as it continues to monitor compliance across the adult content industry.
The Online Safety Act has granted Ofcom expanded powers to regulate a range of online services, including social media platforms, search engines, and websites hosting user-generated content. The legislation has been widely described as one of the most comprehensive attempts by a democratic government to police online content and protect users from harm.
The outcome of these investigations could set a precedent for future regulatory actions in the UK’s digital space.
