Have you also tried making a subdomain and not making any requests to it yourself? So no browser access or other DNS resolution requests for the new subdomain. That should rule out some of the other possible causes suggested in the other comments.

How is it being logged publicly? Like OP said there is no specific subdomain registered in the DNS records (instead using a wildcard). Same for the SSL cert. Only things I can think of is the browser leaking the subdomains (through google or Microsoft) or the DNS queries themselves being logged and leaked. (Possibly by the ISP inspecting the traffic or logging and leaking on their own DNS servers?). I would hardly call either of those public.

U joking?

I expect the first ‘they’ otp used in their message is the singular they.

Hmm, sounds interesting. Any interesting/notable differences that set this project apart from other similar projects like IPFS?

DSA and OSA are very different pieces of legislation

They can’t force 4chan to implement age verification, or to implement geoblocks. They can issue fines if they feel like it, but they’re uncollectible.

The UK has every right to restrict their own residents access to things that are illegal internally. Just like how they have customs controls at their physical borders to prevent illegal physical items from being imported, they should have just blocked 4chan off the rip instead of trying to fine them.

Yeah, reading this I think we are indeed on the same page.

I feel like I am missing something reading your comments, but it seems pretty clear to me that they do do business in the UK. They have users in the UK, to which they are providing a service (the 4chan message boards) in exchange for eyes on adverts placed on the page (from which 4chan makes money).

Just because this law is really stupid, and that 4chan does not have servers in the UK doesn’t really matter. UK laws can still be enforced for individuals in the UK (which is expressly what is stated in the message from ofcom). Ofcom is not demanding that age verification is implemented for all users world wide, but for UK users. 4Chan can decide to not comply (which I think is good), but then it is not surprising that if you keep doing business in the UK (not blocking UK users/IPs) that fines (which 4chan will just ignore as they are not UK based) and possible bans on your service in the UK follow.

I expect VPN + Aurora (or any other non Play store) will be enough to get around it

Amazing to see that they successfully migrated. This is a great example for the rest of Europe and the teams that worked on this will (hopefully) have plenty of work ahead of them in helping other European entities migrate away from US big tech!