Ofcom, the UK's online safety regulator, has announced it will take no further legal action against a pro-suicide forum linked by campaigners to more than 130 deaths in the United Kingdom. The regulator stated that it has exhausted its available legal routes under the Online Safety Act because the forum has implemented a geoblock that prevents access for the vast majority of UK users.
Despite the geoblock, Ofcom acknowledged that individuals could still access the forum by using a Virtual Private Network (VPN) or similar tools to mask their online location. Suzanne Cater, Ofcom's enforcement director, asserted that the regulator had utilized its powers to the fullest extent possible. "We'll continue to monitor the forum closely to check the geoblock remains in place," she said.
Campaigners have criticized Ofcom's decision. Andy Burrows, chief executive of the Molly Rose Foundation, stated that the regulator's inaction would "result in more lost lives." He further criticized the timing of the announcement, coinciding with the naming of a new prime minister, as demonstrating "an utter lack of moral courage."
The geoblock means that users physically located in the UK are unable to access the website. Ofcom is reportedly working with the government to investigate potential enhancements to its enforcement powers. This includes exploring the feasibility of obtaining a website blocking order through the courts, which would legally compel internet service providers in the UK to block access to the site. Ofcom indicated that under the current Online Safety Act, its ability to act further is limited due to the forum's geoblocking measures.