According to Tech Digest, Nudify has been hit with a £55,000 fine by UK communications regulator Ofcom for failing to implement mandatory age verification measures required under the Online Safety Act. The company behind the AI tools, Itai Tech Ltd, received a £50,000 penalty specifically for lacking “highly effective age assurance” checks and an additional £5,000 for refusing to comply with Ofcom’s information requests. This marks the regulator’s second major enforcement action since the Online Safety Act came into effect on July 25, which legally requires all sites hosting age-restricted content to verify users are over 18. Ofcom’s director of enforcement Suzanne Cater issued a strong warning that age assurance to protect children from harmful pornographic content is “non-negotiable” and services failing their duties can expect “robust enforcement action, including significant fines.”
Regulatory crackdown intensifies
Here’s the thing – this isn’t just about one dodgy AI site getting slapped on the wrist. Ofcom is clearly making an example out of Nudify to send a message to the entire industry. They’ve currently got investigations open into 76 sites and apps for suspected breaches. That’s a massive enforcement push that suggests they’re dead serious about making the Online Safety Act actually mean something.
Running scared doesn’t work
What’s really telling is how Nudify tried to dodge the regulators. They made their website inaccessible from UK IP addresses after the investigation began in May. And get this – documents show Itai Tech Ltd recently filed an application to strike itself off the UK register of companies. Basically, they tried to disappear rather than face the music. But Ofcom isn’t having it – they’re prepared to pursue legal action to recover the fine if the company refuses to pay. So much for the “we’ll just shut down and reopen under a new name” strategy that’s worked for so many sketchy online operations in the past.
The deepfake dilemma
This case highlights the growing tension between rapidly advancing AI technology and regulatory frameworks that are struggling to keep up. Nudify’s tools allow users to create deepfake intimate content – that’s some seriously problematic technology when it falls into the wrong hands. But here’s my question: how effective are age checks really going to be against determined users? I mean, we’ve seen how easily age verification systems can be bypassed in other contexts. And let’s be honest – the people most determined to access this kind of content are probably also the most determined to circumvent any barriers put in their way.
The enforcement reality check
While Ofcom’s tough talk is encouraging, I’m skeptical about how scalable this enforcement approach really is. They’re going after 76 sites now, but there are thousands of similar operations out there. And many of these sites operate from jurisdictions that don’t particularly care about UK regulations. The cat-and-mouse game between regulators and shady online operations has been going on for decades, and the bad actors always seem to be one step ahead. Still, it’s progress that regulators are at least trying to hold someone accountable for once.
