Ofcom Faces Backlash Over Controversial Porn Job Post

A charity has criticized a recent LinkedIn post from a senior staff member at Ofcom, the UK communications regulator. The post was described as “reprehensible” for promoting a job overseeing the porn industry. It caused controversy for seemingly trivializing violence against women and girls. The post said, “Always wanted to work in porn but don’t have the feet for an OnlyFans? Now is your chance.”

CEASE, an organization combatting sexual exploitation, condemned Ofcom for treating dealing with pornographic sites as a perk and failing to comprehend the impact of porn on children. Ofcom responded, acknowledging that the post was a mistake from a well-intentioned colleague trying to attract attention to a recruitment post. They apologized for the misjudgment.

Critics, including Baroness Kidron and Gemma Kelly from CEASE, slammed the post for making light of an industry that normalizes violence against women. They emphasized the importance of having responsible adults in roles that regulate harmful online content. The Ofcom staff member later edited the post on LinkedIn, apologizing for its tone and clarifying the serious nature of the work involved in engaging with online pornography services to protect users, especially children. Ofcom is gearing up for new responsibilities under the Online Safety Act, including enforcing regulations on pornographic sites.