UK digital regulator Ofcom will enforce the new Online Safety Act (OSA) regulations from March 17 (today). Companies targeted by the OSA must complete an assessment of the risks posed by illegal content on their platforms. The deadline for assessment is March 16.
Under the regulations, Ofcom hopes to improve auditing and reporting and strengthen protection for children and other vulnerable groups. Failure to comply with the new rules can result in very serious consequences for companies, including fines of up to £18 million or 10% of their qualifying global revenue, whichever is greater. In addition, senior executives of offending companies may be sentenced to up to two years in prison.
As well as financial and criminal penalties, Ofcom can also ban apps and websites in the UK if they don't comply. OSA represents the most significant change ever in UK cyberspace. These measures were first introduced under the Conservatives and continued under Labor, which also supported them.
Another important milestone to watch is July 2025, when Ofcom says websites must start implementing age guarantee checks. Any website containing pornographic or harmful content must undergo an age check. Methods that can be used include age verification, which involves showing some form of ID, or age estimation technology, which takes a photo of your face and tries to guess your age, then deletes the photo.
This legislation would also help protect online users, wherever they come from, if websites decide to adopt this practice globally and not just on their UK sites.