Ofcom, the UK's media regulator, has levied significant fines against a porn site and a message board, while a prominent AI safety researcher has resigned with a dire warning about the state of the world. In other tech news, Prince Harry has expressed support for families challenging social media companies, a game developer has laid off staff shortly after its game's release, and Tesco plans to extend its Clubcard access to under-18s.
Kick Online Entertainment SA, a porn company, was fined £800,000 by Ofcom for failing to implement adequate age verification measures. According to Ofcom, the company did not have "highly effective" methods to ensure UK visitors were over 18 between July and December 2025. Suzanne Cater, director of enforcement at Ofcom, stated that it was "non-negotiable" for adult sites to have effective age checks. Additionally, the message board 4chan faces a £520,000 fine for non-compliance with the UK's Online Safety Law, though its lawyer claims the company will not pay.
In the field of artificial intelligence, Mrinank Sharma, an AI safety researcher at Anthropic, resigned from his position, citing concerns about AI, bioweapons, and the broader global situation. In his resignation letter shared on X, Sharma stated that the "world is in peril" and announced his intention to pursue writing and poetry, moving back to the UK. This follows a similar resignation from an OpenAI researcher who expressed concerns about the company's decision to deploy advertisements in its chatbot.
Prince Harry has voiced his support for bereaved families who are taking legal action against major tech companies. Addressing parents involved in a landmark trial in California, which examines whether Instagram and YouTube damage young people's mental health, the Duke of Sussex thanked them for "telling your stories over and over again." The families allege that the online platforms are designed to be addictive. Lawyers for YouTube and Meta, the owner of Instagram, deny these allegations. Prince Harry expressed hope for "truth, justice and accountability" in footage shared.
In the gaming industry, Wildlight Entertainment, the developer of the multiplayer shooter "Highguard," laid off staff just two weeks after the game's release. The game, which was featured at The Game Awards, struggled to retain players after its January launch. The developer confirmed the layoffs in a statement.
Finally, Tesco announced plans to make its Clubcard available to under-18s this year. The supermarket's loyalty scheme offers discounts and points that can be converted into vouchers. Tesco did not specify the reasons for this change or provide details on how it would be implemented. The move follows campaigning from Which? urging supermarkets to broaden access to loyalty schemes. The UK's competition regulator has indicated that while current eligibility requirements are unlikely to violate consumer law, some supermarkets could do more to expand access.
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