A giant hamster, a £520,000 fine, and a battle for regulation: What happens next for Ofcom and 4chan?
- Posted on July 9, 2026
- By The Independent
- 0 Views
- 1 min read
A giant hamster, a £520,000 fine, and a battle for regulation: What happens next for Ofcom and 4chan?
US-based forum 4chan is refusing to pay more than £520,000 in fines to the UK regulator Ofcom over alleged breaches of the Online Safety Act. It’s argument? Simple - it isn’t the UK’s jurisdiction. Nicole Wootton-Cane takes a look at what action Ofcom could take, and what the case says about the challenges of policing a global internet