The Online Safety Act received Royal Assent on 26 October 2023.
Contents
-
The
Online Safety Act 2023
-
Illegal Content
-
Child
Safety
-
The
role of Ofcom
-
Online
Safety Act guidance
-
News
and correspondence
The Online Safety Act 2023
The Online Safety Act 2023 (the Act) protects children and adults
online. It puts a range of new duties on social media companies
and search services, giving them legal duties to protect their
users from illegal content and content harmful to children. The
Act gives providers new duties to implement systems and processes
to reduce risks their services are used for illegal activity, and
to take down illegal content when it does appear.
Illegal Content
As of 17 March 2025, platforms have a legal duty to protect their
users from illegal content online. Ofcom are actively enforcing
these duties and have opened several enforcement programmes to
monitor compliance.
Child Safety
As of 25 July 2025, platforms have a legal duty to protect
children online. Platforms are now required to use highly
effective age assurance to prevent children from accessing
pornography, or content which encourages self-harm, suicide or
eating disorder content.
Platforms must also prevent children from accessing other harmful
and age-inappropriate content such as bullying, hateful content
and content which encourages dangerous stunts or ingesting
dangerous substances. Platforms must also provide parents and
children with clear and accessible ways to report problems online
when they do arise.
A full explanation of how the Act works, and how it protects
different groups is available in the Online Safety Act
explainer.
Ofcom has also created a guide for
parents.
The role of Ofcom
Ofcom is the independent regulator for Online Safety. It
sets out steps providers can take to fulfil their safety duties
in codes of practice. It has a broad range of powers to assess
and enforce providers' compliance with the framework.
Ofcom has
strong enforcement powers, including the ability to
investigate non-compliance, impose fines of up to 10% of
qualifying worldwide revenue, and in the most serious cases of
non-compliance, apply to the courts to block services.
Ofcom guidance
Ofcom's regulatory guidance and links to their work to protect
users online. This information helps businesses, parents, and the
public understand the Act's requirements and implementation
timeline.
Ofcom's
online safety enforcement
Guide for
services: complying with the Online Safety Act
Ofcom's
approach to implementing the Online Safety Act
Statement:
Protecting children from harms online
Statement:
Protecting people from illegal harms online
How Ofcom
is helping children to be safer online – a guide for
parents
Statement:
Online Safety - fees and penalties
Online Safety Act guidance
News and correspondence
