LONDON: Britain's media regulator on Wednesday slapped the US-based host of an online forum blamed for 130 deaths in the UK with a £950,000 fine (US$1.3mil/RM5.1mil) for "content encouraging and assisting suicide".
Without naming the site, Ofcom said that the regulator had "concluded that the forum's provider has failed – and continues to fail – to comply with its duties to assess and mitigate the risk of people in the UK encountering illegal content in its service".
Ofcom also ordered the platform to take action to prevent British users from accessing content promoting suicide within 10 working days, or face being blocked in the UK.
After launching an investigation in April 2025, the regulator said it had found "instructional 'guides' and threads detailing different methods of suicide, some of which have been present on the site for years".
"Many of these have been either pinned or reposted by the provider itself, demonstrating that it is aware of this content."
At first, the platform argued it was not required to take action as it was based in the United States.
But the regulator insisted that the UK's Online Safety Act forces it to comply with British laws prohibiting the intentional encouragement or assistance of suicide, as well as the requirement to take down harmful content.
In a post on X, the Molly Rose Foundation for preventing suicide welcomed the move, but said that "this should never have taken 13 months".
The charity estimates that 130 people have died in the UK after following the advice found on the forum. – AFP
Those suffering from problems can reach out to the Mental Health Psychosocial Support Service at 03-2935 9935 or 014-322 3392; Talian Kasih at 15999 or 019-261 5999 on WhatsApp; Jakim’s (Department of Islamic Development Malaysia) family, social and community care centre at 0111-959 8214 on WhatsApp; and Befrienders Kuala Lumpur at 03-7627 2929 or go to befrienders.org.my/centre-in-malaysia for a full list of numbers nationwide and operating hours, or email sam@befrienders.org.my.
