Ofcom Fines Strictly Broadband Ltd. £60,000

LONDON — Strictly Broadband Ltd., which was sold several months ago to a U.S. company after its U.K.-based operator said he couldn't comply with strict new rules over age verification in the country, has been fined £60,000 by British regulators.

Strictly Broadband was penalized by regulator Ofcom after failing to restrict access to explicit material on StrictlyBroadband.com for several months this past summer, between May 31-Aug. 1.

Ofcom decided on the £60,000 fine based on recommendations by ATVOD, which regulates web and TV video on demand in the country.

ATVOD issued a ruling in July that said Strictly Broadband had committed two breaches of Rule 11, which requires that U.K.-based VOD operators ensure that those under 18 cannot access hardcore porn. ATVOD said that it found hardcore content available without registering. Further material also was available free after a registration process, leaving it open to access by those under 18 without access to credit cards.

"The home page of the service (which appeared without a warning page as to the nature of the site's content or other indication that the material was unsuitable for under 18s) included a significant quantity of free material, including a banner window showing scrolling stills, a large number of thumbnail stills constituting links to available videos and movie trailers," regulators said.

Strictly Broadband Ltd.'s former operator, Jerry Barnett, said he's baffled by the fine because it was instituted retroactively after he was issued a "notice-to-comply." Barnett sold the company in September to U.S.-based Velvet Rose LLC, which now manages and publishes its content and runs its affiliate program.

"This is mysterious," Barnett told XBIZ. "The regulator instructed Strictly Broadband to comply with their age-verification requirement by Aug. 2.

"The site was transferred to a U.S. owner prior to that, but the fine then covers a breach during the period May to July, prior to the notice-to-comply. I'm somewhat in the dark, as Ofcom has only communicated with the liquidator of Strictly Broadband and has refused to meet with me."

Related:  

Copyright © 2025 Adnet Media. All Rights Reserved. XBIZ is a trademark of Adnet Media.
Reproduction in whole or in part in any form or medium without express written permission is prohibited.

More News

Report: VPN Downloads Soar in UK Following Age Verification Deadline

Virtual private network apps, which can be used to circumvent geo-specific age verification requirements, are topping Apple App Store downloads in the U.K. in the wake of new Online Safety Act rules, the BBC is reporting.

Strike 3 Holdings Sues Meta for Pirating Vixen Media Group Content to Train AI

Vixen Media Group owner Strike 3 Holdings filed suit in federal court this week, accusing Facebook parent company Meta of copyright infringement and alleging that Meta has extensively pirated VMG content to train its artificial intelligence models.

Pineapple Support, Streamate to Host 'Navigating Grief and Loss' Support Group

Pineapple Support and Streamate are hosting a free online support group to help performers cope with grief and loss.

Friday is Final AV Compliance Deadline in UK

Friday, July 25 marks U.K. media regulator Ofcom’s deadline for user-to-user services such as tube, cam and fan sites to implement its requisite “highly effective age assurance” measures for preventing minors from viewing adult content.

AEBN Publishes Popular Searches for May, June

AEBN has released the top search terms for the months of May and June from its straight and gay theaters in all 50 states and the District of Columbia.

Ofcom Releases Transparency Reporting Guidelines

Ofcom, the U.K. media regulator, has made public its official guidance detailing how online service providers — including adult sites — will be required to publish annual transparency reports on their efforts to protect children from online harms.

New AV Rules Take Effect for Ireland-Based Sites

Ireland’s Online Safety Code came into force Monday, including a provision requiring adult sites headquartered in Ireland to implement age assurance measures beyond self-declaration.

XBIZ Amsterdam Calls on New Startups for 'Spotlight' Program

XBIZ is pleased to announce that its new “Startup Spotlight” programming will make its European premiere at XBIZ Amsterdam 2025, set to take place Sept. 2-5 at the Jakarta Hotel Amsterdam.

Texas Resumes AV Lawsuit Against Aylo Following SCOTUS Decision

A district court judge in Texas has unfrozen the state’s $1.6 million lawsuit against Aylo for allegedly failing to comply with age verification requirements, Bloomberg Law is reporting.

JuicyAds Wins Trademark Infringement Case Against Fraudulent Domain

JuicyAds has won its World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) case against a website using a similar domain to impersonate the company's site and defraud customers.

Show More