4chan's Lawyer Refuses to Pay UK Daily Fines Under Online Safety Act
The online forum's attorneys argue UK regulations cannot impose sanctions on a US-based company and vow to challenge Ofcom's proposed penalties.
A lawyer for 4chan has confirmed the site will not pay a provisional £20,000 fine proposed by Ofcom under the UK’s Online Safety Act, with additional daily penalties until the forum complies with information requests.
Preston Byrne, managing partner at Byrne & Storm, told INLIBER the penalties create “no legal obligations in the United States” and described the regulator’s investigation as an “illegal campaign of harassment” against US tech firms.
Legal arguments
Ofcom initiated its inquiry earlier this year to assess whether 4chan was meeting its duty to protect UK users from illegal content. In August, the regulator issued a notice of contravention after 4chan failed to respond to two information requests.
Byrne & Storm and Coleman Law contend that as a US-incorporated company, 4chan is shielded by the First Amendment and that American courts will not enforce foreign penal fines or censorship codes. They have warned they will seek relief in US federal court if necessary.
UK enforcement options
If 4chan successfully blocks the fines in US courts, Ofcom may pursue other measures, such as requiring search engines to remove the site from UK results, blocking UK payments or ordering internet service providers to restrict access within the UK.
4chan insists US constitutional protections bar enforcement of UK-imposed fines, setting up a jurisdictional showdown over online content regulation.
This topic was reported by BBC.
Discover the latest news and current events in Tech News as of 21-08-2025. The article titled " 4chan's Lawyer Refuses to Pay UK Daily Fines Under Online Safety Act " provides you with the most relevant and reliable information in the Tech News field. Each news piece is thoroughly analyzed to deliver valuable insights to our readers.
The information in " 4chan's Lawyer Refuses to Pay UK Daily Fines Under Online Safety Act " helps you make better-informed decisions within the Tech News category. Our news articles are continuously updated and adhere to journalistic standards.