Ofcom fines 4chan £520,000 for Online Safety Act breaches
Mar 19th 2026
Ofcom has fined 4chan £520,000 for failing to prevent children accessing porn, missing risk assessments, and inadequate terms, and has set April 2 compliance deadlines with escalating daily penalties through June 1.
- Ofcom imposed a total fine of £520,000 for multiple breaches of the Online Safety Act 2023.
- The largest penalty, £450,000, was for failing to implement an effective age check to stop children encountering porn, with an April 2 compliance order and a £500 daily penalty until compliance or June 1.
- 4chan was fined £50,000 for not carrying out a sufficient illegal content risk assessment and must complete one by April 2 or face a £200 daily fine.
- A £20,000 fine was issued for lacking terms of service provisions on protecting users from illegal content, with the same April 2 deadline and a £100 daily penalty until June 1.
- Ofcom began investigating 4chan in June 2025 and had earlier fined it £20,000 in October for failing to provide a risk assessment and revenue information, a fine that remains unpaid.