Britain’s broadcasting regulator, Ofcom, announced on Wednesday that it is investigating an online suicide forum linked to at least 50 deaths in the country.
The investigation focuses on whether the platform’s service provider failed to implement sufficient safety measures to protect UK users from harmful content. This is the first investigation under the UK’s Online Safety Act of 2023, which aims to safeguard both adult and child internet users.
The Online Safety Act requires service providers to remove illegal content once they are made aware of it, with a deadline of mid-March for compliance. Despite multiple attempts to engage with the service provider, Ofcom said it received unsatisfactory responses regarding the steps taken to protect users.
As a result, Ofcom launched an official investigation into whether the provider is meeting its legal obligations. It did not name the website or service provider due to the sensitive nature of the content.
According to reports, the forum is hosted in the United States and has tens of thousands of members, including children. Users reportedly share dangerous suicide methods, including instructions for using lethal chemicals. The BBC confirmed that 50 suicides in the UK have been linked to the site.
If the service provider does not comply with the investigation, Ofcom could seek a court order to remove the harmful content or impose a fine of up to £18 million ($23 million) or 10% of the provider’s global revenue.
