Mistake on threshold for facial age estimation costs OnlyFans parent $1.4M

OnlyFans parent Fenix International Limited has been fined 1.05 million pounds (approximately US$1.36 million) by a UK regulator for failing to provide accurate information about its age assurance measures. Specifically, Ofcom asked how OnlyFans’ age checks were implemented, and how effective the facial age estimation it uses is.

Yoti provides facial age estimation for OnlyFans.

The request from Ofcom was part of an information gathering exercise, according to the fine announcement, and Fenix responded that it set a challenge threshold at 23 years of age. Any user estimated to be that age or younger based on their face biometrics is required to use a secondary method for age verification.

Fenix had set OnlyFans challenge age, it turns out, at 20 years old. A correction to 23 years old was carried out on January 16, and then Fenix changed it again three days later, to 21 years old, Ofcom says.

Ofcom launched an investigation after being notified of the discrepancy. The investigation found that Fenix had failed to meet its compliance obligations, and Ofcom expressed concern with the 16 months it took the company to discover that the information it had provided was incorrect.

The fine includes a 30 percent discount for the resources saved by Fenix accepting the findings.

“OnlyFans uses Yoti facial age estimation technology to help ensure age-appropriate experiences and keep minors off their platform,” Yoti Chief Policy and Regulatory Officer Julie Dawson told Biometric Update in an emailed statement.

“The issue reported today relates to OnlyFans inadvertently reporting to Ofcom that they had set a threshold of 23 years when they had actually set it at 20 years.

“OnlyFans has always proactively elected to set the threshold for Yoti above 18 years old. The threshold is always set by the business, rather than by Yoti, as it is always the responsibility of each business to set an appropriate threshold either in compliance with regulatory requirements or to meet their internal operating policies.”

The fine is the first million-pound penalty under the Online Safety Act, which reached its enforcement deadline on March 17.

Article Topics

age verification  |  biometric age estimation  |  biometrics  |  face biometrics  |  facial age estimation (FAE)  |  Ofcom  |  Online Safety Act  |  OnlyFans  |  Yoti