UK Regulators Investigate Alleged Online Security Violations By 4chan And A Number Of Other Platforms

Ofcom stated that it had received complaints regarding alleged illegal content on 4chan (photo: x @Ofcom)

JAKARTA British media regulator, Ofcom, on Tuesday, June 10 announced that it had started nine investigations into alleged violations of online security laws. This allegation includes websites of 4chan internet forums and a number of file sharing services.

The UK Online Security Act (Online Safety Act) passed in 2023 sets stricter standards for digital platforms in dealing with criminal activity, especially those related to child protection and illegal content.

Ofcom stated that it had received complaints related to alleged illegal content on 4chan, as well as allegations of circulating child sexual abuse material in seven other file sharing services.

The regulator is now investigating whether the 4chan and file sharing platforms fail to implement adequate security measures to protect users from illegal content, as well as whether they are responding to requests for official information properly. In addition, Ofcom also assesses whether these platforms have appropriate risk assessment records.

Until this news was published, 4chan had not commented on the investigation.

Ofcom has the authority to order platforms to take certain action in order to comply with regulations, and can impose fines of up to 18 million (approximately IDR 468 billion) or 10% of the company's global revenue, depending on which is larger.

In addition, Ofcom is also investigating the First Time Videos website, a porn content service provider, regarding whether their age verification system is effective enough to protect children from access to inappropriate content.