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7/25/2025, 1:06:52 AM
https://www.ofcom.org.uk/online-safety/illegal-and-harmful-content/investigation-into-4chan-and-its-compliance-with-duties-to-protect-its-users-from-illegal-content
>On 14 April 2025, Ofcom issued a formal information notice to the provider of the service 4chan requesting a copy of the record of its Illegal Content Risk Assessment, as part of our Risk Assessment Enforcement Programme. At the date of opening this investigation, no response has been received to the information notice.
>Ofcom’s investigation will examine whether there are reasonable grounds to believe that 4chan has failed, or is failing, to comply with its duty to respond accurately to an information notice sent under the Act, as well as its duty to complete and keep a record of its Illegal Content Risk Assessment. The investigation will also consider whether there are reasonable grounds to believe that 4chan has failed, or is failing, to comply with its duties to protect its users from illegal content under section 10.
>Ofcom’s Online Safety Enforcement Guidance sets out how Ofcom will normally approach enforcement under the Act. This includes our approach to information gathering and analysis and the procedural steps we must take to fairly determine the outcome of the investigation.
>Where we identify compliance failures, we can impose fines of up to £18 million or 10% of qualifying worldwide revenue (whichever is greater). In the most serious cases of non-compliance, and where appropriate, given the risks of harm to individuals in the UK, we can seek a court order to require third parties to take action to disrupt the business of the provider. This may require third parties (such as providers of payment or advertising services, or Internet Service Providers) to withdraw services from, or block access to, a regulated service in the UK.
>We will provide an update on this investigation in due course.
>On 14 April 2025, Ofcom issued a formal information notice to the provider of the service 4chan requesting a copy of the record of its Illegal Content Risk Assessment, as part of our Risk Assessment Enforcement Programme. At the date of opening this investigation, no response has been received to the information notice.
>Ofcom’s investigation will examine whether there are reasonable grounds to believe that 4chan has failed, or is failing, to comply with its duty to respond accurately to an information notice sent under the Act, as well as its duty to complete and keep a record of its Illegal Content Risk Assessment. The investigation will also consider whether there are reasonable grounds to believe that 4chan has failed, or is failing, to comply with its duties to protect its users from illegal content under section 10.
>Ofcom’s Online Safety Enforcement Guidance sets out how Ofcom will normally approach enforcement under the Act. This includes our approach to information gathering and analysis and the procedural steps we must take to fairly determine the outcome of the investigation.
>Where we identify compliance failures, we can impose fines of up to £18 million or 10% of qualifying worldwide revenue (whichever is greater). In the most serious cases of non-compliance, and where appropriate, given the risks of harm to individuals in the UK, we can seek a court order to require third parties to take action to disrupt the business of the provider. This may require third parties (such as providers of payment or advertising services, or Internet Service Providers) to withdraw services from, or block access to, a regulated service in the UK.
>We will provide an update on this investigation in due course.
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