Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, if Ofcom will assess whether OnlyFans online platform and app is in breach of the Audio-Visual Media regulations.

Ofcom has been the national regulator for the video-sharing platform (VSP) regime since the Audiovisual Media Services Regulations came into force on 1 November 2020. For the first time, these regulations require UK-established VSPs, such as OnlyFans, to comply with new rules around protecting users from harmful content. Throughout the implementation of this novel regulation, Ofcom has been actively engaging with OnlyFans and other VSPs to ensure they understand their regulatory obligations and the steps they may need to take to ensure compliance.

However, if Ofcom were to find a VSP provider in breach of the VSP requirements, it has the ability to investigate using its information gathering powers. Ofcom is also able to take robust enforcement action which can include imposing significant financial penalties and, in the most serious instances, issuing a direction to suspend or restrict a platform provider from providing a service.