After receiving a fine of over $690,000 from British regulators, the online forum 4chan responded by posting an AI-created image of a hamster.
In the past year, many governments worldwide have been trying to limit the types of online content available to those under 18.
Australia has prohibited social media for anyone under 16, encouraging them to spend more time outdoors. The United Kingdom is taking a different approach, requiring websites to verify users’ ages through methods like facial scanning or ID checks as part of the Online Safety Act. However, these checks aren’t always effective, and some sites don’t fully comply, leading to legal issues and government fines.
Ofcom, the UK’s regulator for online safety, has fined 4Chan £520,000 (about $692,000) because the platform didn’t follow rules set out in the Online Safety Act.
4Chan responds to Ofcom’s latest fine
After receiving a large fine, 4Chan’s lawyer, Preston Byrne, said the platform won’t pay it and dismissed the request as absurd.
In an email and a post on X (formerly Twitter), Byrne responded to Ofcom by stating that the UK lost the American Revolutionary War – a fact they’ve repeatedly explained. He added that they have no interest in revisiting the topic, having not been inclined to do so for the past 250 years.
He included a picture of a hamster created by AI, jokingly named Nigel J. Whiskerford, and hinted he might use an even bigger rodent in future messages.
Today, the UK’s broadcasting regulator, Ofcom, fined 4chan a substantial amount. In response, 4chan sent Ofcom a large hamster.
— Preston Byrne (@prestonjbyrne) March 19, 2026
According to Byrne, 4chan isn’t breaking any laws in the United States – in fact, the First Amendment specifically protects what they do.
In August, 4Chan and Kiwi Farms took legal action in a U.S. court against the UK’s Online Safety Act, describing the regulatory body Ofcom as a biased organization aiming to control online content.
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2026-03-19 17:49