Ofcom has launched nine investigations under the UK's Online Safety Act, targeting platforms including 4chan and multiple file-sharing services for failing to respond to safety standards.
The platforms 4chan and seven file-sharing services face probes after ignoring Ofcom's information requests since April. Ofcom investigations focus on potential child sexual abuse material and inadequate age verification systems. If found guilty, the fines can be up to 10% of global revenue or £18m for Online Safety Act violations. Porn providers, like First Time Videos, are also under investigation for failing to establish "robust" age checks to prevent under-18 access.
Key Takeaways:
The growing shift toward facial scanning for age verification signals a new concern in the privacy landscape. There has been talk of social media platforms using facial scanning to register users and verify their age. The difficulty lies in companies balancing compliance requirements while keeping in mind user privacy rights.
What are your thought on facial scans as a means to verify the age of a user?
