Ofcom fines Fapello £630,000 for failing age checks on adult content

Ofcom has imposed a £630,000 fine on the operator of the pornography site Fapello for inadequate age verification measures. This enforcement action, announced on Thursday, follows the implementation of stringent age assurance requirements for adult content websites in the UK that came into effect in July 2025.

Failure to Implement Age Verification

According to Ofcom, the company behind Fapello did not establish effective age checks, violating regulations meant to protect minors from accessing adult content. Ofcom's Director of Enforcement, George Lusty, stated, "Age checks are no longer optional for porn sites in the UK. They are a cornerstone of our laws to protect children from content they should not be seeing." The investigation into Fapello began in November 2025.

The fine comprises a £600,000 penalty for the lack of age verification systems, alongside an additional £30,000 for failing to respond to Ofcom's information requests in a timely manner.

Ongoing Regulatory Scrutiny

This fine is part of a broader trend, with Ofcom recently penalizing other adult content providers for similar violations. In May 2026, YoungTek Solutions was fined £600,000 for not implementing age verification systems. Prior to that, another adult site operator faced a hefty £1.35 million fine for failing to comply with age verification regulations.

Despite these actions, Ofcom has faced criticism regarding the effectiveness of its enforcement. Reports revealed that one company fined £1 million had not communicated with the regulator, raising concerns about the adequacy of monetary penalties as a deterrent. Nevertheless, that company eventually began complying with the regulations.

Methods for Age Verification

Ofcom has outlined various methods for websites to verify user ages, including:

• Credit card checks
• Photo ID matching
• Estimating age through selfies

These methods must be technically accurate, robust, reliable, and fair, according to the regulator. On the same day as the Fapello announcement, Ofcom initiated a new investigation into another provider, Bit Hive, due to concerns about the effectiveness of its age verification methods.