Ofcom Closes OnlyFans Age-Gating Investigation

Ofcom Closes OnlyFans Age-Gating Investigation

LONDON — U.K. communications regulator Ofcom has discontinued an investigation into whether OnlyFans violated the Online Safety Act (OSA) by failing to prevent minors from viewing adult content.

Ofcom originally announced the investigation in May 2024, stating at the time that it was seeking to determine whether OnlyFans was implementing age assurance measures “in such a way as to protect under 18s from restricted material, including pornographic material.”

The investigation also sought to determine whether the platform had provided “complete and accurate” information in response to requests by the agency, as mandated under the OSA.

This week, Ofcom announced that it has decided to close the investigation into whether OnlyFans had implemented sufficient measures to protect children from restricted material, and into whether OnlyFans parent company Fenix International Limited failed to cooperate fully with Ofcom.

“We are making no findings on these issues and should further information come to light, reserve our right to re-open this investigation,” the agency posted on its website.

A spokesperson for OnlyFans told Reuters, “At all times, OnlyFans’ age assurance was set to at least 20 years old. OnlyFans is, and has always been, confident that these measures are sufficient to meet our obligations to protect under 18s from accessing restricted material.”

The Ofcom announcement notes that an investigation into whether Fenix International Limited provided “complete and accurate responses to statutory information requests” is ongoing.

Issuance of guidelines and enforcement actions under the OSA have been slowly ramping up since the law took effect in 2023. In January, Ofcom fined video sharing platform MintStars 7,000 pounds for “failing to adequately protect children from accessing online pornography.” That site required only a declaration by users that they were over 18, which is insufficient as an age assurance measure under Ofcom's rules.

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

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.

Two Texas Bills Restricting Sex Toy Sales Fail to Pass

Two bills aimed at restricting sales of sex toys have failed to pass the Texas state legislature during its 2025 session.

NYC Adult Stores Petition for Rehearing in Zoning Law Case

A group of adult businesses on Tuesday petitioned the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 2nd Circuit to rehear a case involving a zoning law that could severely limit adult stores’ operations in New York City.

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.

Show More