United Kingdom: Office of Communications fines MintStars Ltd for non-compliance with rules on protecting minors from restricted material under Communications Act

On 23 January 2025, the Office of Communications (Ofcom) issued an order imposing a fine of GBP 7,000 against MintStars Ltd for non-compliance with rules on protecting minors from restricted material under the Communications Act. The order highlighted that MintStars failed to implement adequate measures to prevent minors from accessing restricted material, including pornographic content on its platform. The investigation found that between November 2023 and August 2024, MintStars failed to review access controls and implement robust age verification, increasing the risk of minors accessing restricted material. The order also stated that the penalty reflects a 30% reduction considering the company's admission of liability and completion of the settlement process. It was also highlighted that MintStars have now introduced age assurance technology on the platform to address the breaches.