Overview

• Ofcom has initiated its first investigation under the Online Safety Act, targeting a suicide forum for potential safety compliance failures.
• The forum has been linked to at least 50 deaths in the UK, with one charity citing National Crime Agency data suggesting up to 97 deaths.
• The investigation follows the forum's inadequate response to Ofcom's request for a risk assessment on illegal content exposure.
• If found in breach of the law, the platform could face fines of up to £18 million or 10% of its global revenue.
• Suicide prevention advocates, including the Molly Rose Foundation, are urging swift action to shut down the site to protect vulnerable users.