Britain’s media and telecommunications regulator, Ofcom, has fined OnlyFans £1.05 million ($1.4 million) for failing to accurately disclose information related to its age verification measures. The fine follows an investigation into the platform’s methods of checking user age, specifically its use of third-party facial estimation technology.
Investigation Findings
OnlyFans’ operator, Fenix International Limited, was found to have misrepresented the effectiveness of its age verification technology. The platform claimed that its facial recognition system, which uses live selfies submitted by users, had a “challenger age” threshold of 23 years. However, the threshold was actually set at 20 years, a discrepancy that Fenix International reported to Ofcom last year.
In response to the error, Fenix announced plans to raise the threshold to 23 years in January 2025. However, the company later lowered it to 21 years within a few days. Despite this correction, the failure to provide accurate and complete information led to the fine.
Ofcom’s Role and Future Actions
Ofcom emphasized the importance of receiving accurate information to fulfill its regulatory responsibilities. Suzanne Cater, the enforcement director at Ofcom, stated, “We will hold platforms to high standards and will not hesitate to take enforcement action where we find failings.”
Although Ofcom closed its investigation into whether minors were accessing the platform, it continues to monitor the accuracy of the information provided by OnlyFans.
Platform’s Response
OnlyFans, which has over 300 million users and generates $1.3 billion in revenue, welcomed the conclusion of the investigation related to UK onboarding. A spokesperson for the platform acknowledged the importance of providing accurate and timely information to the regulator.