UK regulator Ofcom has fined the US-based messaging platform 4Chan £520,000 for multiple breaches of the Online Safety Act, including failing to implement age checks to block children from viewing pornography on its site. The fine, announced by Ofcom, comprises £450,000 for the pornography-related violation and additional penalties for failing to assess risks of illegal material and protect users from criminal content. 4Chan's US-based lawyer Preston Byrne responded to the enforcement action by posting an AI-generated cartoon image of a hamster on X, claiming the company operates legally in the US where its conduct is protected by the First Amendment. Ofcom's director of enforcement, Suzanne Cater, stated the UK sets standards requiring age verification and risk assessments, emphasizing that companies cannot sell unsafe digital products to children any more than they can sell alcohol or gambling services to minors. This latest fine follows a pattern of non-payment, as 4Chan has refused to pay previous Ofcom penalties, and Ofcom has issued nearly £3 million in total fines globally for online safety breaches, though much remains unpaid.

The regulator is actively pursuing payment from companies failing to comply.