Ofcom has declared it will not pursue further legal action against a pro-suicide forum, a site campaigners claim has been associated with over 130 deaths in the UK. The regulator stated it had exhausted all available legal avenues under the Online Safety Act, following the forum's implementation of a geoblock that restricts access for the majority of UK-based users.
However, Ofcom acknowledged that individuals could still circumvent this block by utilising a Virtual Private Network (VPN), which masks a user's online location. Andy Burrows, chief executive of the Molly Rose Foundation, criticised the decision, asserting it would lead to "more lost lives" and questioned the timing of the announcement.
Suzanne Cater, Ofcom's enforcement director, defended the regulator's actions, stating it had employed its powers "to the fullest extent possible" and would continue to monitor the geoblock's effectiveness. Ofcom also confirmed it is collaborating with the government to assess whether its enforcement capabilities, particularly regarding obtaining court orders to mandate internet service providers to block websites, require strengthening.
This forum was the first service to be investigated by Ofcom under the UK's online safety legislation. Earlier BBC News investigations revealed instances where young people on the site were encouraged and provided instructions on self-harm. The site has also been referenced in numerous coroners' reports concerning the deaths of UK citizens. In May, Ofcom issued a £950,000 fine to the site for failing to comply with the Online Safety Act's provisions to protect UK users from illegal content, a fine which remains unpaid.
Sarah Ruane, director of policy at the suicide prevention charity Samaritans, expressed "extreme disappointment" with the announcement. She commented that despite months of investigation and over three years since the Online Safety Act was passed, there has been a lack of meaningful action against some of the most harmful online sites, raising serious questions about the Act's fitness for purpose.