The UK’s media watchdog, Ofcom, is set to implement a significant crackdown on illegal content across social media, search engines, and messaging platforms, marking a major step in the enforcement of the Online Safety Act (OSA). As reported by the Financial Times, these new regulations will require tech companies to swiftly remove illegal material and mitigate risks associated with harmful content online.
From next week, social media groups and other digital platforms will be under scrutiny to ensure compliance with the OSA’s strict measures. The act, passed by the UK Parliament in 2023 and being phased in this year and next, aims to curb the spread of extreme and false information. Concerns over online harm escalated after violent unrest last summer following the mass stabbing in Southport, prompting regulators and lawmakers to push for additional powers to regulate digital content.
Under the new regulations, tech companies were required to complete compulsory illegal content risk assessments by this weekend. These assessments are designed to determine the likelihood of users encountering illegal material on their services. In the case of “user-to-user” messaging services, the evaluation also covers potential use for committing or facilitating criminal offenses.
Priority illegal content includes a range of serious offenses, spanning terrorism, child sexual abuse, and assisting suicide, to stalking, drug-related crimes, fraud, and other criminal activities. Ofcom will begin assessing platforms’ compliance next week, with enforcement action expected against those failing to meet the requirements.
To comply with the OSA, tech firms must implement robust safety measures, appoint a senior executive accountable for compliance, and enhance content moderation practices. Additionally, they must train moderation teams, set performance targets for the swift removal of illegal material, and refine algorithms to restrict the dissemination of such content.
Ofcom’s enforcement will initially focus on larger platforms with a significant UK user base or those that present heightened risks of harm. The regulator is expected to take decisive action against non-compliant companies, reinforcing the UK government’s commitment to safeguarding internet users.
Suzanne Cater, Ofcom’s enforcement director, emphasized the urgency for companies to act: “Platforms must now act quickly to come into compliance with their legal duties, and our codes are designed to help them do that. But, make no mistake, any provider who fails to introduce the necessary protections can expect to face the full force of our enforcement action.”
British law firm Linklaters described the regulations as “the first big regulatory deadline” under the OSA, highlighting the financial and operational consequences for tech companies. Firms found in violation of the rules could face fines of up to £18 million or 10% of their global revenue, whichever is greater.
Ben Packer, a partner at Linklaters, noted that compliance levels among companies would soon become evident. “We’re going to find out quite quickly who’s engaged with this properly and done a thorough job of the risk assessments. I suspect there may well be some companies in scope who haven’t done much at all.”
Packer also suggested that the threat of Ofcom’s intervention could have a greater impact than financial penalties alone, as the regulator has the authority to impose additional measures related to content moderation, user reporting, and detection technologies.
