Ofcom fines Fapello operator £630,000; site blocks UK visitors

The BBC reported that Ofcom fined the operator of pornography site Fapello £630,000 for failing to introduce age checks for UK users and for not responding to requests for information. The regulator opened an investigation into the operator in November and announced the penalty on Thursday.

Ofcom levied £600,000 for the absence of age verification methods and added £30,000 for the lack of response to its inquiries.

The site has since blocked UK visitors, though the regulator said it will continue to monitor compliance. George Lusty, director of enforcement at Ofcom, said age checks are no longer optional for porn sites in the UK. He added that providers must supply accurate information on time or face enforcement action including fines.

The BBC reported that Ofcom has issued other penalties in recent months. It fined YoungTek Solutions £600,000 in May for not implementing age verification systems. Prior to May, the regulator levied a £1.35 million fine on another adult site operator for the same reason.

Ofcom has also faced questions over enforcement effectiveness. It revealed in December that it had never heard from a firm handed a £1 million fine, though that company later began complying. The regulator remains in an ongoing dispute with 4chan over its refusal to pay a £520,000 fine.

On Thursday, Ofcom said it opened a new investigation into Bit Hive to assess compliance with age check requirements, citing concern that one of its methods may not be highly effective. UK sites allowing adult content have been required to use highly effective age assurance for visitors since July 2025, with acceptable methods including credit card checks, photo ID matching and selfie-based age estimation.