Ofcom fines porn website provider £630,000 for failed age checks

Ofcom has fined the operator of a pornography site £630,000 for failing to properly check the age of its users.

Sites that allow adult content, including pornography, will have to use “highly effective” age verification from July 2025 to ensure UK visitors are 18 or over.

But Ofcom, which enforces these requirements, and the company behind porn site Fapelo, has not submitted any checks – or responded to requests for information.

George Lusty, Ofcom’s director of enforcement, said: “Age checks are no longer an option for sex sites in the UK.”

“They are the cornerstone of our laws to protect children from inappropriate content.”

The regulator opened an investigation into the operator of the porn site in November.

On Thursday, Ofcom said it had fined the company £600,000 for failing to disclose methods to verify users’ ages.

Ofcom imposed a further £30,000 fine after it failed to respond to its request for information.

“Suppliers should know that if they don’t provide us with accurate information on time, they face enforcement action, including fines, when we ask,” Lusti added.

While the site has banned UK visitors, the regulator says it will maintain compliance.