JanitorAI announced that starting July 24, the platform will block all users from England, Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland. This isn't a voluntary decision or a technical failure.
It's a direct result of the UK's new Online Safety Act.
Founder Shep shared the news openly, explaining the reasons behind this difficult choice. It boils down to compliance costs and legal risk that no small startup can realistically manage.
The Online Safety Act aims to protect UK citizens online. On paper, that sounds reasonable. In reality, it places heavy obligations on every platform, regardless of size. Small teams like JanitorAI face the same compliance burden as tech giants such as Google or Meta.
Shep detailed what compliance involves: expensive legal risk assessments, biometric ID checks costing around $1.50 per user, and constant monitoring of thousands of pages of ever-changing legal guidelines.
The consequences of failing to comply? Potential fines up to £18 million, plus personal criminal liability for platform owners and their staff.
For a small startup, these rules aren't just tough but near impossible to adhere to.
JanitorAI spent weeks combing through complicated legal language, hoping to find exceptions for smaller services. There are none. As the deadline loomed, the company faced a clear choice: risk bankruptcy or prison, or simply block UK access.
They chose the latter.
This isn't just a JanitorAI issue. It's a wake-up call to founders everywhere. The UK government talks about fostering tech innovation, but the Act does the opposite. Only the largest platforms have the resources to comply, creating a market dominated by Big Tech.
Small innovators get squeezed out.
The bigger risk is the creation of a digital barrier around the UK. Users lose access to new tools and ideas, and UK startups struggle to compete globally.
It's a future no one intended, but it's happening now.
JanitorAI says this block is temporary. The team hopes to re-enter the UK market once they figure out affordable compliance. But they're not alone. Many smaller platforms will likely make similar announcements soon.
Founders need to pay close attention. Understand the law, get professional advice, and consider your options carefully. What happened to JanitorAI can happen to any interactive platform serving UK users.
