Imgur has left the UK

Imgur has shut off its image-hosting platform for users in the UK, displaying a “content not available in your region” notice across the site and on third-party embeds. The move comes after the UK Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) warned that it intended to levy fines against Imgur’s owner, MediaLab AI, after an investigation into the service's handling of children’s data, age verification and privacy protection. Exact details of the fine, or what the findings of the investigation were, have not been shared. "We are aware of reports that the social media platform Imgur is currently not available in the UK. Imgur's decision to restrict access in the UK is a commercial decision taken by the company," said regulators in a statement . They also stressed that "exiting the UK" does not mean a company can avoid any levied penalties, and that the investigation is ongoing. "Our findings are provisional and the ICO will carefully consider any representations from MediaLab before taking a final decision whether to issue a monetary penalty," said regulators.