Yesterday, (23/01/25) Ofcom fines video-sharing platform MintStars £7,000 for failing to adequately protect children from accessing online pornography.
Under the Online Safety Act (OSA) regulations, UK-established video-sharing platforms (VSPs) are legally obligated to implement measures that protect under-18s from accessing restricted material.
Ofcom’s investigation revealed that between Nov 2023 and Aug 2024, MintStars fell short of these obligations by failing to implement adequate age-verification & content moderation measures.
The investigation found;
Inappropriate Access Controls: Pornographic content, including short preview videos and subscription-based material, was accessible to users of all ages.
Insufficient Age Verification: Relying on “self-declaration” of age & a disclaimer in the platform’s terms and conditions was deemed ineffective.
Lack of Controls & Reporting.
These failures constituted a breach of MintStars’ legal duty to protect under-18s, resulting in a fine that even with mitigating factors like the company’s small size and cooperation with the investigation.
How Streamshield could have helped MintStars
This situation underscores the pressing need for platforms like MintStars to adopt robust and scalable compliance solutions. Streamshield.ai provides a comprehensive content moderation and compliance platform specifically designed to help businesses meet their regulatory obligations.
Key Features of Streamshield That Could Have Prevented This Breach:
Automated Content Moderation
Streamshield scans & flags inappropriate or restricted content in real-time, reducing the likelihood of unrestricted pornographic material being visible on platforms. This includes robust detection of preview videos or thumbnails that could expose under-18s to harmful content.
Regulatory Reporting and Transparency
The platform automatically generates audit-ready Transparency Reports, simplifying compliance with Ofcom’s guidelines and allowing platforms to demonstrate their proactive measures in protecting users, especially children.
Customizable Safety Features
Streamshield allows platforms to implement tailored safety settings, such as content filters and user access controls, to meet the specific requirements of the VSP regime and OSA duties.
Continuous Compliance Monitoring
The system continuously monitors a platform for new risks ensuring businesses remain compliant.
The Future of Online Safety
As Ofcom ramps up its enforcement capabilities under the OSA platforms must prioritize compliance to avoid fines of up to £18 million or 10% of their global revenue.
Streamshield is designed to offer an affordable, user-friendly, & effective solution for platforms of all sizes to remain compliant, protect users, & focus on their core business operations.
To learn how Streamshield can safeguard your platform and help you meet your regulatory obligations, visit www.streamshield.ai
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