Why is OnlyFans, a platform that hosts pornographic content, in the sights of the authorities?

2024-05-03 00:47:29

Is the OnlyFans platform on point? This is what Ofcom, the media regulator in the United Kingdom, is trying to determine, which has just opened an investigation to determine whether the British social network is doing what is necessary to block its access to minors, and therefore prevent them from to have access to pornography. According to the British police, the measures to verify the age of users of the platform are insufficient.

“After reviewing the submissions we received from OnlyFans in response to formal requests for information, we have reason to suspect that the platform has not implemented its age verification measures in a manner that sufficiently protect those under 18 from pornographic material,” declared the equivalent of Arcom across the Channel.

“OnlyFans works closely with Ofcom to implement and develop best practice in online safety, including the use of age-guaranteeing technologies,” a spokesperson for the social network said. prohibited for minors, cited by Reuters.

She claims that the London company uses Yoti, a technology which, thanks to artificial intelligence, makes it possible to verify the age of individuals and detect those who have lied about their age. The only problem is that a coding error allegedly led to an erroneous report, according to OnlyFans, which claims to have “discovered the reporting error and proactively changed [son] report to Ofcom. »

A subject that concerns the French government

Since 2023, under a new online safety law, Ofcom can impose fines of up to €20.5 million, or 10% of their turnover, on companies that do not not what is necessary to prevent children from having access to pornography.

At the start of the week, Secretary of State for Digital Marina Ferrari brought together representatives of major platforms and age verification players on Monday in Bercy to discuss a technical solution to certify the age of Internet users.

Among them were X, Meta, but also MYM, the “French OnlyFans”, as well as companies offering online identification solutions like Yoti. An interview that took place three weeks after the adoption of the law to “secure” the Internet, which allows Arcom to block access to pornographic sites that do not prevent minors from accessing their content.