United Kingdom: Office of Communications opened investigation into provider of Chat-Avenue over alleged failure to comply with duties under Online Safety Act

On 21 April 2026, the Office of Communications (Ofcom) opened an investigation into the provider of Chat-Avenue to assess compliance with duties under the Online Safety Act 2023, pursuant to Sections 9, 10, 11, 12, 20, 23, and 36. The investigation covers the completion of a suitable and sufficient illegal content risk assessment, particularly in relation to child sexual exploitation and abuse (CSEA) risks, the completion of a children's access assessment and a suitable and sufficient children's risk assessment, and the making and keeping of appropriate records of these risk assessments. The investigation also covers compliance with illegal content safety duties relating to prevention and mitigation of priority illegal content, effective content moderation and reporting mechanisms, and systems and processes to protect child users from illegal harm, as well as compliance with the protection of children duties, including the use of highly effective age verification or age estimation to prevent children from encountering Primary Priority Content. Where compliance failures are identified, Ofcom may impose fines of up to GBP 18 million or 10% of qualifying worldwide revenue, whichever is greater, and may seek a court order requiring third parties to withdraw services from or block access to a regulated service in the UK.