Ofcom issues update on Online Safety Act implementation

Ofcom has published an update on the work they have taken in the past 12 months since the Online Safety Act was passed into law in October 2023 and their plans for implementing it. The Act is designed to protect people from harm, particularly children. Since then Ofcom launched an illegal harms consultation and draft guidance for online pornography services. And more recently in May 2024, proposals for how services should approach their duties relating to harmful content to children were published. 

“The time for talk is over. From December, tech firms will be legally required to start taking action, meaning 2025 will be a pivotal year in creating a safer life online.

We’ve already engaged constructively with some platforms and seen positive changes ahead of time, but our expectations are going to be high, and we’ll be coming down hard on those who fall short.”

Dame Melanie Dawes, Ofcom’s Chief Executive

Looking forward there are various aspects they are pressing ahead with. 

Phase one: Illegal Harms

In mid-December 2024 Ofcom will publish their Illegal Harms statement which arms to set clear standards and enforcement mechanisms for illegal online content. Once it passes through Parliament, it should become enforceable from March 2025. 

Phase two: Child safety, pornography, and protecting women and girls

This focuses on protecting children from harmful content and will see in January 2025 the publication of final age assurance guidance, with the duties on services to be enforceable likely from summer 2025. A children’s access risk assessment will be required from January 2025 with providers having 3 months to complete this and then work on mitigating the risks exposed. The Children’s Code of Practice is expected to come into force from July 2025 at which point investigations and sanctions on non-compliance can begin. 

February 2025 will see the publication of draft guidance on protecting women and girls with final guidance expected at the end of 2025.

Phase three: Categorisation and additional duties for categorised services

Service will be categorised into 1, 2A or 2B services to bring an enhanced level of safety, transparency and accountability. This is expected to take place in summer 2025 with transparency reports by the end of 2025. Further proposals will be published regarding duties on these services and will cover tools for users to control what content they see. This will come in early 2026.

The full progress update is available here.