Ofcom, the UK's media regulator, has fined the pornographic website Kick Online Entertainment SA £800,000 for failing to implement adequate age verification measures, according to BBC Technology. The company did not have "highly effective" methods to ensure UK visitors were over 18 between July and December 2025, Ofcom stated. In other business news, the head of global ports operator DP World resigned following scrutiny over his links to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, and Amazon's Ring ended a deal with surveillance firm Flock Safety after facing privacy concerns.
Kick Online Entertainment has since introduced age checks, but the fine reflects its non-compliance with the law during the specified period, according to BBC Technology. Suzanne Cater, director of enforcement at Ofcom, emphasized that it was "non-negotiable" for adult sites to have highly effective age verification. Meanwhile, message board 4chan faces a £520,000 fine for failing to comply with the UK's Online Safety Law, though its lawyer claims the company will not pay, as reported by BBC Technology.
Sultan Ahmed bin Sulayem's departure from DP World, effective immediately, followed the release of files indicating he exchanged hundreds of emails with Epstein over a decade, as reported by BBC Business. While being mentioned in the files does not imply wrongdoing, the pressure led to his resignation. Essa Kazim has been named chairman and Yuvraj Narayan as chief executive of DP World, according to BBC Business.
In other developments, Prince Andrew is facing accusations of sharing a Treasury document with a business contact, according to BBC Business. Emails published in the Telegraph suggest he shared a briefing on banking problems in Iceland with Jonathan Rowland, whose father was involved with a failing Icelandic bank. This adds to the pressure on the former prince regarding the alleged misuse of his public role, as reported by BBC Business.
Heathrow Airport's Terminal 5 is not crowded, but people are walking in the "wrong place," according to the airport's boss, Thomas Woldbye, as reported by BBC Business. Woldbye stated that British people tend to walk on the left and Europeans on the right, leading to a perception of crowding. Heathrow, the UK's busiest airport, is also facing pushback on its plans to build a third runway, despite government support, according to BBC Business.
Amazon's Ring has ended its partnership with Flock Safety, a surveillance firm, after facing backlash over privacy practices, according to BBC Business. The deal, announced in October, would have allowed agencies working with Flock to access Ring video footage. The decision to cancel the agreement came after a Ring advertisement aired during the Super Bowl sparked widespread criticism, as reported by BBC Business.
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