U.K. communications regulator Ofcom has fined Fenix International Limited, the parent company of OnlyFans, £1.05 million ($1.36 million) for providing inaccurate information about its age verification systems, in what the agency described as a significant failure to meet regulatory obligations under the Online Safety framework.

The fine follows an investigation that began in 2024 after Ofcom found inconsistencies in Fenix’s responses to formal information requests. The case centers on how the platform implemented age assurance measures intended to prevent minors from accessing adult content. Ofcom said Fenix contravened its statutory duties by submitting inaccurate and incomplete responses to two requests made in June 2022 and June 2023.

At the heart of the case is the concept of a “challenge age”—the age threshold above 18 used to trigger further identity verification in cases where facial estimation software cannot conclusively confirm the user is an adult. OnlyFans claimed it had set the challenge age at 23, but its third-party age verification vendor, Yoti, confirmed the actual figure had been 20 since November 2021.

Ofcom concluded that the misrepresentation led to inaccurate data being published in its 2022 report on the regulation of video-sharing platforms. It also highlighted that Fenix only discovered the error in January 2024—more than 16 months after its original submission—and waited two additional weeks to inform Ofcom, raising concerns over the company’s internal governance and fact-checking protocols.

Suzanne Cater, Ofcom’s enforcement director, stressed the importance of transparency and accuracy:

“When we use our statutory powers to request information from platforms, they are required, by law, to ensure it is complete, accurate and delivered to us on time… We will hold platforms to high standards and will not hesitate to take enforcement action where we find failings.”

According to Ofcom, the penalty includes a 30% reduction for Fenix’s cooperation and acceptance of the findings, saving public resources and time.

The investigation was initially part of Ofcom’s broader review of how video-sharing platforms, including adult content sites, protect underage users. While the agency has now closed its investigation into OnlyFans’ age assurance systems, the enforcement action over reporting failures underlines growing scrutiny of digital platforms’ compliance with online safety laws, especially in the U.K., where the Online Safety Act has expanded regulatory oversight.

OnlyFans, which launched in 2016, has long required users to be 18 or older. The platform uses facial estimation tools and secondary verification methods to confirm age. However, this case exposed the limits of internal oversight and the importance of accurate reporting to regulators.

In a statement to U.K. media, an OnlyFans spokesperson acknowledged the importance of compliance: “OnlyFans recognises the importance of providing Ofcom with accurate and timely information. We welcome the conclusion of this process and Ofcom’s previous decision to close their investigation into our age assurance measures.”

The £1.05 million ($1.36 million) fine will be transferred to HM Treasury, and Ofcom says it considers the penalty “appropriate and proportionate” given the company’s size and the public interest in accurate safety reporting.