OnlyFans investigated over fears it has exposed children to pornography
OnlyFans is under investigation by regulators over fears the website has allowed children to watch pornography.
Ofcom has opened an investigation into the subscription service, which is known for hosting adult content, over concerns it has not done enough to enforce age verification on its site.
In 2020, the watchdog introduced regulations that require UK video-sharing platforms to take appropriate measures to protect children from harmful material, including pornography and illegal videos such as terrorist content.
OnlyFans sets a minimum age of 18 and requires users to provide their name and payment details, as well as using digital identity platform Yoti.
Creators must provide a photo of themselves alongside a form of photo ID to confirm their age.
However, Ofcom said it had grounds to suspect that OnlyFans has not implemented its age verification process in such a way as to sufficiently protect under-18s from pornographic material.
The regulator is also investigating whether the website failed to provide complete and accurate information in response to two requests made in 2022 and 2023.
In a statement, OnlyFans said the issue related to a reporting error with Yoti that stated its age threshold was set to 23, when it had in fact been set to 20.
OnlyFans said it discovered the reporting error and proactively amended its report to Ofcom.
A spokesman added: “As the leading UK-based and regulated social media platform, OnlyFans works closely with Ofcom to implement and develop best-practices on online safety, including the use of age-assurance technology.”
OnlyFans, which launched in 2016, allows content creators to upload videos to the website and earn money through subscriptions and tips.
Some creators provide their content for free, but users must still provide card details to access the service.
OnlyFans is mainly used by sex workers who produce pornography, but also hosts videos from other users including musicians and fitness instructors.
The website saw its popularity surge during Covid lockdowns. It has around 200 million users and more than 2 million content creators.
The Ofcom investigation comes as the regulator prepares to take on new powers under the Online Safety Act.
The regulator continues to monitor video-sharing platforms under the pre-existing regime until the Government repeals the previous laws.
Ofcom said it will provide an update on its investigation by August.
