Overview

• Ofcom issued 4chan a provisional notice of contravention for failing to answer two information requests under the Online Safety Act.
• Regulators proposed a £20,000 penalty with daily fines until compliance, while larger statutory sanctions remain possible.
• Attorney Preston Byrne told the BBC the site will not pay and argued Ofcom’s notices create no legal obligations in the United States.
• 4chan’s legal teams said they may seek relief in US federal court and urged US officials to oppose what they call foreign censorship mandates.
• Legal experts note Ofcom can pursue non-monetary measures against offshore platforms, including search delisting, blocking UK payments, or asking ISPs to restrict access.