United Kingdom: Office of Communications announces investigation into MintStars to assess compliance with rules on protecting minors from restricted material under under Communications Act

On 27 February 2024, the Office of Communications (Ofcom) opened an investigation into MintStars Ltd to assess compliance with the Communication Act 2003 concerning rules on protecting minors from restricted material. The Act requires video-sharing platforms to implement measures protecting children under 18 from restricted material including pornography. It mandates that platforms must apply measures practically and proportionately, considering factors such as the platform's size, the nature of the material, and potential harm. Ofcom’s initial assessment indicated MintStars may have hosted restricted content and failed to apply appropriate safeguards to protect minors from such content.