UK law
Ofcom investigates Duplanto Ltd under online safety age check rules
Ofcom has announced that it is investigating Duplanto Ltd, which runs a porn site, in relation to the age-check requirements under the Online Safety Act. Since 25 July, sites that allow users to upload pornographic content have been required to use highly effective age assurance to prevent children from accessing that material. Ofcom says that it has been closely scrutinising companies’ compliance since this requirement came into force. Its investigation into Duplanto Ltd is one of five live investigations into porn site providers relating to age checks, following the four investigations announced last month. These investigations cover 35 websites collectively, as well as Ofcom’s 11 investigations relating to other areas of online safety. Ofcom is also expanding the scope of two existing investigations, into AVS Group Limited and Kick Online Entertainment SA. As well as investigating their compliance with the requirement to introduce age checks for pornographic content, it is now investigating their failure to respond to statutory information notices from Ofcom. Ofcom is now gathering and analysing evidence to see whether rules have been broken. If its assessment indicates they have, it will issue provisional notices of contravention to companies, who can then make representations on its findings, before it makes its final decisions. It will provide updates on these investigations as soon as possible.
CMA publishes discussion paper on price transparency schemes
The CMA has published a discussion paper on price transparency schemes. The Digital Markets, Competition and Consumers Act expanded the economy-wide minimum requirements for price transparency. These requirements now include a list of specified material information, including pricing information, that businesses must provide when inviting a consumer to purchase, or consider purchasing, a product. In particular, businesses should inform consumers about the full cost of their products throughout the purchase process, from early-stage advertising to the final payment page. The CMA is currently consulting on draft guidance relating to these new requirements. The discussion paper explores how price transparency schemes, enabled by new smart data legislation, can build on these general requirements to further enhance consumer confidence in markets – particularly those where it can be difficult to search and compare options. With the passing of the Data (Use and Access) Act 2025, the CMA says that this a timely moment to consider use cases for new smart data schemes which could form part of the solution
EU law
European Commission carries out review of the Digital Markets Act
The Digital Markets Act requires the European Commission to conduct a review of its provisions by 3 May 2026, and subsequently every three years, to assess how the provisions of the DMA are contributing to the objective of ensuring contestable and fair markets and their impact on business users (especially small and medium-sized enterprises) and end users. The review will also assess whether there is the need to take any further measures to make sure that the DMA is effective. As part of this, it is asking questions about AI, especially the main obstacles to developing AI models and commercialising AI-based products and services. It also asks about information about any bottlenecks or obstacles affecting access to relevant inputs or distribution channel. The Commission is also asking about the impact of DMA gatekeepers’ AI models and AI-based products and services, how AI-based products and services are likely to develop in the future, and how the DMA’s prohibitions and obligations can help to address any problems identified. It asks for comments by 23 September.
