US court dismisses 4chan and Kiwi Farms suit against Ofcom over Online Safety Act
A US court has dismissed a lawsuit by 4chan and Kiwi Farms against Ofcom, ruling it lacked jurisdiction and that the forums can fight the regulator in UK courts.
A court in Washington DC has dismissed a lawsuit brought by the internet forums 4chan and Kiwi Farms against Britain's media regulator, Ofcom, finding that it did not have jurisdiction to hear the matter.
The dispute stems from Ofcom's enforcement of Britain's Online Safety Act, legislation aimed at shielding children and vulnerable users from illegal content online. The law has become a flashpoint between US technology companies and the British government. Critics argue it poses a threat to free speech, while the British government has said it fully backs Ofcom's actions.
4chan, a site known for hosting content including pornography and conspiracy theories, and Kiwi Farms had argued that what they described as threatening communications from the regulator interfered with their constitutional rights and operations. Ofcom had accused both forums of failing to respond to its statutory requests for information.
On August 12, 2025, Ofcom issued 4chan a provisional notice of contravention, warning of a £20,000 fine along with daily penalties of £100 for up to 60 days. 4chan filed its suit later that month. The regulator went on to impose the fine in October, the first under the new regime.
In a ruling dated Tuesday, the US court said the plaintiffs could defend themselves in British courts. It noted that if Ofcom secured a judgment, enforcement would most likely have to take place in the United States, since the companies have no presence or operations abroad. At that stage, the forums could bring their case before US courts, the judgment said.
"Put simply, plaintiffs' suit fails because they seek to use American courts as a sword against Ofcom rather than as a shield to protect themselves," District Judge Rudolph Contreras wrote.
An Ofcom spokesperson welcomed the decision, saying a US court had acknowledged that the regulator was within its rights to investigate breaches of the UK's online safety laws and had dismissed claims by 4chan and Kiwi Farms that sought to stop it from doing its job of creating a safer life online for people in the UK.