OnlyFans Fined £1.05 Million by UK Regulator Over Age Verification Reporting Failures

Ofcom imposed the penalty after discovering inaccuracies in the platform's responses about its age assurance measures, stemming from a coding error in its verification tool.

OnlyFans was fined £1.05 million by Ofcom for providing inaccurate information about its age verification processes in responses to statutory requests made in 2022 and 2023.
The inaccuracies were caused by a coding error in the platform's age estimation tool, which flagged users under 20 instead of under 23 as initially claimed.
OnlyFans proactively disclosed the error to Ofcom in January 2024, leading to the regulator's investigation and subsequent enforcement action.
The fine was reduced after OnlyFans accepted Ofcom's findings and settled the case, with the company now setting the 'challenge age' to 21 to meet compliance standards.
The case underscores the growing regulatory focus on online safety and the need for accurate reporting as platforms face increased scrutiny under the UK's Online Safety Act.