Ofcom told UK lawmakers that most fines it has issued under the Online Safety Act still have not been paid, even though some platforms complied enough to avoid being blocked in the UK. The regulator said it has fined 11 service providers more than £7 million so far, mainly smaller pornography services, and is now relying on judgment-debt collection and possible court-ordered UK access restrictions when companies have no UK assets. Ofcom said it is considering stronger powers with the UK government while trying to preserve freedom-of-expression safeguards.
Why it matters: This matters because a law is only as strong as its enforcement, and unpaid penalties can let overseas or lightly rooted platforms ignore sanctions while continuing to operate. Platforms, civil-liberties groups, and UK users should watch for tougher collection powers, more website-blocking requests, and possible increased personal liability for senior managers.
2026.09.17
100% relevant
This article establishes a distinct enforcement story: not a single platform fine, but Ofcom's admission that most Online Safety Act penalties remain unpaid and that its current legal tools are insufficient to reliably collect them.
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