Neil Brown

New blogpost:

"The OSA, sex blogs, erotica, and Ofcom's approach to enforcement"

An update on how Ofcom has approached enforcement of the Part 5 "pornographic content" rules in the #OnlineSafetyAct.

https://decoded.legal/blog/2026/03/the-osa-sex-blogs-erotica-and-ofcom-s-approach-to-enforcement/

The OSA, sex blogs, erotica, and Ofcom's approach to enforcement

2.5 years ago, I wrote about the Online Safety Act 2023's (anti-)pornographic content provisions.

Mar 18 at 11:37amWeb
Show threadArtur Wawrowski4d ago
@neil it is still blowing my mind that ofcom targets abroad companies with fines and what not, basically putting the responsibility to comply with uk-specific case onto them. Logical way would be to compel uk-based ISPs to force the compliance…
Should I run a page abroad and receive any kind of request for implementing anything „to comply” with the market that’s not my sole target my reply would be „but that’s your problem, block it if not liking it. I am not breaking any laws in the country I am registered in, jog on”.
Ofcom is forcing age verification usually done by companies harvesting the data instead of providing privacy respecting service that on the out-end would simply say „over / under 18”, without registering what page who visited etc.
Reflex reaction is simple „ofcom is silly with this” but I do not think they are that dense or unaware. Which brings borderline conspiracy question: what’s the broad goal of this move? And all the answers coming to my mind are not a happy ones.
Show threadNeil Brown4d ago

@artwaw

> Logical way would be to compel uk-based ISPs to force the compliance…

This is the end game.

Show threadSundial4d ago

@neil thank you for this article, enlightening.

I've decided not to take any chances and have blocked my audio and a couple of images to UK based IP addresses through a CDN.

I have a question for you, if you don't mind me asking here?

In my blogs I state:
"Due to OFCOM regulations, this image is not visible to visitors accessing the site from the UK based IP addresses."

Would that be potentially perceived as me telling people to use a VPN, do you think? :)

Show threadNeil Brown4d ago

@GoingDownWithSundial Hello!

i think that you would have to be *very* unlucky indeed, for Ofcom to take that interpretation.

IMHO, you are simply being transparent about the compliance measures that you have put in place. You are not telling someone how to circumvent them.

Show threadSundial4d ago
@neil thank you!
Show threadNeil Brown4d ago
@GoingDownWithSundial My pleasure - good luck!
Show threadSundial4d ago
@neil thank you :)