Google denies breaching law by promoting suicide forum linked to 164 UK deaths

Google has denied breaching the UK Online Safety Act after reports that a US-based suicide forum linked to 164 UK deaths still appears in Google search results and can be accessed from the UK using simple workarounds. The forum’s operator was fined £950,000 by Ofcom, which says the site presents a material risk of significant harm and is preparing to seek court orders to force ISPs to block access. Google says it complies with navigational-query rules, displays prominent support resources (eg, Samaritans) and will follow any formal court orders. For investors, the episode raises reputational and regulatory risk for Google in the UK — potential legal scrutiny, compliance costs and operational changes to search results — though immediate financial impact appears limited.