The U.K.’s internet regulator, Ofcom, has published the first set of final guidelines for online service providers subject to the Online Safety Act. This marks the beginning of a three-month countdown for compliance with the law, which aims to protect users from illegal online activities. Over 100,000 tech firms could be affected by the law’s duties to protect users from illegal content, including terrorism, hate speech, child sexual abuse and exploitation, and fraud.
Failure to comply could result in fines of up to 10% of global annual turnover, or up to £18 million. The duties apply to providers of services with links to the U.K., regardless of where they are based. This means a large number of online services could fall under the regulation, from large tech companies to very small services.
The legislation outlines measures for user-to-user and search services to minimize risks associated with illegal content. Guidance on risk assessments, record-keeping, and reviews has been provided.
New U.K. online safety regulations
The U.K. law does not take a one-size-fits-all approach; generally, larger services and platforms face more obligations due to their higher risks. However, smaller services are not exempt from their responsibilities. A significant aspect of the law is the introduction of criminal liability for senior executives under certain conditions, meaning tech CEOs could be held personally accountable for non-compliance.
Ofcom CEO Melanie Dawes suggested that 2025 will usher in substantial changes in how major tech platforms operate. “In three months’ time, tech companies are going to need to start taking proper action. They’ve got to change the way algorithms work to ensure illegal content like terror and hate, intimate image abuse, doesn’t appear on our feeds,” she said.
Dawes further highlighted upcoming changes, including age checks for children starting in January and rules for wider protections against harmful content like pornography and violent material by April. Ofcom is also preparing for evolving tech developments such as generative AI and plans to introduce crisis response protocols for emergency events, guidance on using AI to tackle illegal harms, and measures for blocking accounts sharing child sexual abuse material. This landmark regulatory effort represents a significant step toward making the internet a safer place for users in the U.K.
April Isaacs is a news contributor for DevX.com She is long-term, self-proclaimed nerd. She loves all things tech and computers and still has her first Dreamcast system. It is lovingly named Joni, after Joni Mitchell.
