Ofcom, the United Kingdom's digital regulator, has fined the operator of the media sharing website Fapello.com £630,000 for age-check failings and for not responding to a legally binding information request on time. This action follows a series of fines issued by Ofcom to adult entertainment platforms for similar violations of the Online Safety Act.
Fapello.com Fined for Age Assurance Failures
On July 9, 2026, Ofcom announced a £630,000 fine against the operator of Fapello.com. The fine comprises £600,000 for not implementing age checks and an additional £30,000 for failing to respond to official requests on time. Ofcom initiated an investigation into Fapello's compliance on November 19, 2025, and issued a provisional notice of contravention on May 13, 2026.
The Online Safety Act 2023 mandates that sites hosting pornographic material must use "highly effective" age assurance to confirm users are over 18, preventing children from accessing such content. George Lusty, Ofcom's director of enforcement, stated that age checks are no longer optional for porn sites in the UK and are a cornerstone of laws designed to protect children. Lusty also emphasized that providers who fail to supply accurate information on time should expect enforcement action, including fines.
While Fapello.com has since blocked UK visitors, Ofcom has indicated it will continue to monitor the site's compliance. The total fine of £630,000 is approximately $850,000 at current exchange rates.
Broader Enforcement Actions by Ofcom
The fine against Fapello.com is part of a broader enforcement program by Ofcom to ensure industry compliance with age-check duties. Since July 2025, sites with adult content in the UK have been required to use "highly effective" age assurance for visitors aged 18 or older.
In May 2026, Ofcom fined YoungTek Solutions £600,000 for not implementing systems to ensure UK visitors were over 18. This fine included £500,000 for failures to comply with age gate requirements for its network of adult websites, which include TNAflix, ImageFap, and MovieFap, and an additional £100,000 for failing to respond to information inquiries. George Lusty commented on this, stating that adult sites must use robust age checks to protect children in the UK from online porn, and that Ofcom will use its full enforcement powers to achieve this outcome. He added that any company failing to comply or missing deadlines for information requests can expect to pay the price.
Prior to this, on November 20, 2025, Ofcom issued a £50,000 fine against Itai Tech Ltd, the provider of the nudification site Undress.cc, for failing to use age-checks. At that time, Ofcom also announced new investigations into 20 additional pornography sites as part of its crackdown on non-compliance. Ofcom had previously levied a £1.35 million fine on another adult site operator for failing to introduce age checks.
New Investigation into Eporner.com
In addition to the Fapello.com fine, Ofcom announced on Thursday that it has opened an investigation into the platform operators of Eporner.com. Eporner is operated by its parent company, Bit Hive, which is described as a shell firm linked to owners based in Germany and Poland.
Ofcom's notice states that the investigation will examine whether there are reasonable grounds to believe that Bit Hive has failed, or is failing, to comply with section 12 duties under the Online Safety Act 2023. These duties require providers to prevent children from encountering pornographic content by implementing highly effective age assurance. The investigation into Eporner.com is currently ongoing.
Key Facts
- Ofcom fined the operator of Fapello.com £630,000 on July 9, 2026.
- The fine includes £600,000 for age-check failings and £30,000 for not responding to information requests on time.
- UK sites with adult content have been required to use "highly effective" age assurance since July 2025.
- Ofcom opened an investigation into Fapello.com in November 2025.
- Ofcom also fined YoungTek Solutions £600,000 in May 2026 for similar age verification and information request failures.
- A new investigation has been launched into Eporner.com, operated by Bit Hive, for potential non-compliance with age assurance duties.
