Ofcom has imposed a fine of £950,000 on the provider of an online suicide forum for failing to comply with duties under the Online Safety Act to protect people in the United Kingdom from illegal content. Due to the nature of the forum, the regulator has decided not to disclose its name or that of its provider.
Forum Linked to Numerous Deaths
The forum has been associated with more than 130 deaths in the UK and was the first service investigated by Ofcom under the country's online safety legislation last year. It has been referenced in multiple coroners' reports concerning the deaths of British citizens.
Ofcom stated that the provider being based outside the UK does not exempt the forum from the Act's scope. The platform remains accessible to UK users without a VPN and poses a material risk of significant harm.
Campaign for Action
In 2025, The Mirror collaborated with the Molly Rose Foundation on a three-part documentary series urging action. Bereaved families and a survivor spoke to the newspaper about the harm caused by the website. David Parfett, father of Tom, told The Mirror that his son live-blogged his own death on the site, while Adele and Ozlem Walton recounted how their sister and daughter spent her final days in a hotel with a stranger.
Launched on World Suicide Prevention Day 2025, the Mirror and the Molly Rose Foundation joined forces with bereaved families and a survivor to call on the Government to ban the pro-suicide forum and the lethal substance promoted on it. The Mirror's 'Buy To Die: The Deadly Online Forums' documentary series investigated how the poison was allegedly sold and promoted to victims in the UK via the forum.
Legal Framework and Investigation
It is a criminal offence in the UK to intentionally encourage or assist suicide. Under the Online Safety Act, providers must assess and mitigate the risk of users encountering such content and remove it promptly. Ofcom conducted assessments of the forum between March 2025 and April 2026, finding that illegal suicide content, including instructional guides detailing various methods, was consistently present during the investigation.
Many of these threads were either pinned or reposted by the provider itself, indicating awareness of the content. Some material had been on the site for years. The regulator concluded that the provider has failed, and continues to fail, to comply with its duties. The £950,000 fine reflects the serious and deliberate nature of the contraventions and the risk of fatal harm to UK users.
Statements from Officials and Campaigners
Suzanne Cater, Director of Enforcement at Ofcom, said: 'This is a significant fine on a suicide forum known for exploiting the most vulnerable in society. It's caused unimaginable pain and suffering for bereaved families across the UK and beyond, and no punishment can undo that harm.' She added: 'The provider of this forum knows it's used to share illegal content encouraging and assisting suicide on their site. While they've responded to our enforcement action by making some changes to the accessibility of their service in the UK, this is not good enough.'
Andy Burrows, Chief Executive of the Molly Rose Foundation, commented: 'After 13 months of investigation we welcome that Ofcom has taken decisive steps to fine this appalling and deadly forum and will apply to block the site in the courts. However, this process has taken an interminable amount of time, and it is appalling that it has been left to bereaved families and campaign groups to press Ofcom into action.' He continued: 'Molly Rose Foundation submitted detailed evidence which showed scores of vulnerable young people remained at risk while Ofcom's investigation dragged on. Further lives were lost during this period. There are real questions about why it has taken so long for the regulator to act against a forum linked to at least 164 UK deaths.'
Next Steps
During the investigation, the forum implemented a geo-block in July 2025, but a third mirror site was later found to be directly accessible to UK users without needing to circumvent restrictions. This site was taken offline after Ofcom engaged with the provider. The provider now has 10 working days to take specific steps to come into compliance. Ofcom is preparing an application for a court order to require internet service providers to block UK access to the site if concerns are not fully addressed.
For emotional support, you can call the Samaritans 24-hour helpline on 116 123, email jo@samaritans.org, visit a Samaritans branch in person, or go to the Samaritans website.
