Ofcom launches investigation into 4chan and other high-risk platforms

Ofcom says it has received a series of complaints about illegal posts appearing on 4chan

Ofcom has launched a formal investigation into controversial message board 4chan and several other online platforms amid allegations of serious breaches of the Online Safety Act.

Ofcom said it is investigating whether websites such as 4chan failed to implement adequate safeguards to protect users from illegal content, including child sexual abuse material, terrorism-related posts, and pornography.

The Online Safety Act, passed in 2023, legally obliges tech companies and website operators to remove illegal content and improve protections for children and vulnerable users.

The law, which came fully into force in April 2025, gives Ofcom sweeping powers to investigate, fine, and even block access to offending websites.

Ofcom said it had received a series of complaints related to illegal posts appearing on 4chan. The site is known for its loose moderation, anonymous user base, and associations with far-right extremism and online conspiracy movements.

"We are initiating an investigation to determine whether the online discussion board 4chan has failed—or is currently failing—to comply with its obligations under the Online Safety Act 2023," Ofcom said.

The watchdog is also investigating whether 4chan failed to respond to a statutory information request and whether it kept proper records of risk assessments required under the new law.

4chan, originally launched in 2003 by American web developer Christopher Poole (also known online as "moot"), is a controversial platform.

It is the hub of choice for the alt right, a pit of misogyny and a breeding ground for extremist ideologies. It has also played a key role in fermenting and spreading conspiracy theories.

In a 2022 report, the New York State Attorney General blamed 4chan for radicalising 18-year-old Payton Gendron, who killed ten people in a racially motivated mass shooting in Buffalo.

Since 2015, 4chan has been owned by Japanese entrepreneur Hiroyuki Nishimura. The site's continued defiance of regulatory norms has now placed it squarely in Ofcom's crosshairs.

The investigation into 4chan is one of nine that Ofcom has opened in recent weeks. Seven of the other cases involve file-sharing services that are allegedly being used to distribute child sexual abuse material.Another concerns a pornography site accused of failing to prevent children from accessing its content.

The Online Safety Act gives Ofcom the authority to impose financial penalties of up to 10% of a company's global turnover or £18 million, whichever is higher.

Websites that fail to comply may be blocked from operating in the UK, and their senior managers could face criminal charges and prison sentences for repeated violations.

Ofcom's move against 4chan follows a trend of fringe platforms withdrawing services from the UK altogether in protest of the legislation.

Gab, Kiwi Farms, and video-sharing site Bitchute have all geo-blocked UK users in recent months, citing concerns over freedom of expression and state overreach.

Ofcom insists that its goal is not to curtail free speech, but to ensure that platforms meet basic standards to keep users safe from harmful and illegal material.

It was revealed earlier this year that 4chan had been hacked, with source code and a list of ‘moderators’ and ‘janitors’ of the site appearing online.