LONDON – Britain’s communications regulator has fined the provider of an online suicide forum £950,000 (S$1.63 million), the largest penalty against such a platform under the country’s online safety laws, for hosting illegal content accessible in the UK.
Ofcom said on May 13 it would not name the forum or its provider because of the nature of the material. The regulator said the service had been linked to more than 130 deaths in Britain and cited in several coroners’ reports.
The watchdog said the forum had contained content that encourages or assists suicide – a criminal offence in Britain – including instructional material detailing methods and discussions that could encourage vulnerable users.
“This is a significant fine on a suicide forum known for exploiting the most vulnerable in society,” Ms Suzanne Cater, Ofcom’s director of enforcement, said.
She said changes made by the provider to restrict access from Britain had been insufficient. Ofcom said the site could still be accessed without using a virtual private network and restrictions were not consistently applied.
Under the Online Safety Act, one of the world’s strictest online safety regime, platforms hosting user-generated content must assess and mitigate the risk of users encountering illegal material and remove it promptly.
Ofcom said its investigation, carried out between March 2025 and April 2026, found illegal suicide-related content had been present throughout, including posts pinned or reposted by the platform itself.
The regulator said the provider had failed to carry out an adequate risk assessment, implement effective systems to prevent exposure to illegal content, or remove it quickly.
The provider, based outside Britain, has 10 working days to comply with Ofcom’s requirements. The regulator said it was preparing to seek a court order that could require internet service providers to block access to the forum in Britain if breaches continued. AFP
