Illegal and harmful content

This is the second edition of Ofcom’s online safety industry bulletin and the first since two major parts of the Online Safety Act became legal obligations, the new rules on illegal content and on protecting children online.

The Online Safety Act makes businesses responsible for keeping people, especially children, safe online. Here’s what you need to know and do now.

Ofcom has today launched two investigations into whether Kick Online Entertainment S.A has failed to comply with its duties under the UK’s Online Safety Act.

We are investigating whether Kick has failed to comply with illegal content risk assessment duties.

Ofcom is today opening a programme of work, or ‘enforcement programme’ to monitor whether providers are complying with their illegal content risk assessment duties and record keeping duties under the Online Safety Act (the “Act”).

We are investigating whether Kick has failed to comply with the requirements of a statutory information notice.

We are investigating whether a provider of an online suicide discussion forum has failed/is failing to comply with its duties under the Online Safety Act 2023.

This consultation sets out our proposals to amend the blocking and muting user accounts and disabling comments measures in the Illegal Content Codes of Practice. We are proposing to bring providers of certain smaller user-to-user services that are likely to be accessed by children into scope of these measures where they have relevant risks and functionalities.

Children in the UK will be able to live a safer life online under new Ofcom protections which set ambitious new safety standards for tech firms. As the UK’s online safety regulator, protecting children is a priority for Ofcom. We’re determined to make the online world a better place for them – and to give parents peace of mind that their children will be better protected from the risks they might face.

Today we are publishing a major policy Statement for the protection of children online.