Ofcom, the UK's media regulator, fined the pornographic website Kick Online Entertainment SA £800,000 for failing to implement proper age verification measures, while the US Department of Homeland Security faced a potential shutdown due to a funding lapse. These developments, along with other business and technology news, marked a busy news cycle.
According to BBC Technology, Kick Online Entertainment SA was penalized for not having "highly effective" methods to ensure UK visitors were over 18. The company was non-compliant between July and December 2025, according to Ofcom. Meanwhile, message board 4chan faces a £520,000 fine for failing to comply with the UK's Online Safety Law, though its lawyer indicated the company would not pay. Suzanne Cater, director of enforcement at Ofcom, stated it was "non-negotiable" for adult sites to have highly effective age verification.
In other news, the US Department of Homeland Security was expected to run out of funds after legislators failed to pass budget legislation, as reported by Al Jazeera. The Senate adjourned without a deal, and the House of Representatives began its recess. The shutdown would impact agencies overseeing immigration enforcement and disaster response.
In business news, Amazon's Ring decided to end its partnership with surveillance firm Flock Safety after facing backlash over privacy practices, according to BBC Business. The deal, announced in October, would have allowed agencies working with Flock to retrieve video captured on Ring devices. The decision followed criticism sparked by a Ring advertisement during the Super Bowl.
Also, Heathrow Airport's boss stated that Terminal 5 was not crowded, but the layout caused the perception of overcrowding. Thomas Woldbye told an industry event that people walking in the "wrong place" contributed to the feeling of congestion. He noted that British people tend to keep to the left, while Europeans keep to the right, leading to people crashing into each other.
Finally, BBC Business reported that Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor was facing accusations of sharing a Treasury document with a banking contact. Emails suggested he shared a briefing on banking problems in Iceland with Jonathan Rowland, a business connection. This raised further questions about the misuse of his public role.
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