[mystified5016]

Because the UK refuses to elaborate on who qualifies under the act, and the only "safe" way to operate a website that might hypothetically be used by someone in the UK is to simply not.

The costs required to operate any website covered by this act (which is effectively all websites) is grossly excessive and there are either NO exceptions, or the UK has refused to explain who is excepted.

[hu3]

Couldn't they wait for some kind of inquiry from UK Gov and then closed the forum reactively if it was an unreasonable financial burden?

[zimpenfish]

> The costs required to operate any website covered by this act (which is effectively all websites) is grossly excessive

That depends what you count as the costs. If you're a small site[0] and go through the risk assessment[1], that's the only costs you have (unless pornography is involved in which case yes, you'll need the age verification bits.)

[0] ie. you don't have millions of users

[1] Assuming Ofcom aren't being deliberately misleading here.