The UK Online Safety Act received Royal Assent in October 2023 and is being implemented in phases by Ofcom, the UK communications regulator. It is the most significant piece of internet safety legislation in the UK to date, and it places legal duties on technology companies to protect children from harmful content online.
What the Act Requires
At its core, the Online Safety Act requires platforms that host user-generated content -- including social media, gaming, messaging, and video-sharing services -- to assess the risks their services pose to children and take steps to mitigate those risks. Platforms must prevent children from encountering content that is harmful to them, including pornography, content promoting self-harm or eating disorders, and bullying.
The Act introduces a duty of care that applies to all services likely to be accessed by children, regardless of whether the platform is specifically aimed at children. This is an important distinction: a platform cannot avoid its obligations by simply stating in its terms of service that it is not intended for under-18s.
Age Verification and Age Assurance
One of the most discussed provisions of the Act relates to age verification. Platforms must use age assurance measures to prevent children from accessing content that is illegal for them to see. For services hosting pornographic content, this means implementing robust age verification -- not simply asking users to tick a box confirming their age.
Ofcom has published guidance on acceptable age assurance methods, which include document-based verification (such as a driving licence or passport check), facial age estimation technology, and digital identity services. The specific method is left to platforms to choose, provided it is effective.
What Platforms Must Do
- Conduct risk assessments specific to children and publish them.
- Design services with children's safety in mind -- this includes default privacy settings, content moderation, and recommendation algorithms.
- Provide children and parents with clear tools to manage their experience, including reporting and blocking.
- Prevent children from encountering primary priority content (the most harmful material, such as child sexual abuse content, pornography, and content promoting suicide).
- Minimise children's exposure to priority content (including bullying, violent content, and content promoting eating disorders).
Enforcement and Penalties
Ofcom has the power to enforce the Act and can issue fines of up to 10% of a company's global annual revenue for non-compliance. For the largest technology companies, this represents fines potentially running into billions of pounds. Ofcom can also require companies to improve their practices and, in extreme cases, can pursue criminal prosecution of senior managers.
The Implementation Timeline
The Act is being implemented in stages. Ofcom published its first codes of practice for illegal content in late 2024, with duties for child safety following in 2025. Platforms were given time to comply, but by 2026 the core child safety duties are in effect. Ofcom is actively monitoring compliance and has begun enforcement action where necessary.
What This Means for Parents
For parents, the Online Safety Act means that the platforms your children use are now legally required to take steps to protect them. This does not mean the internet is suddenly risk-free -- no legislation can achieve that. But it does mean platforms can no longer treat child safety as optional.
Practically, you should expect to see improved safety settings, better content moderation, and more transparent information from platforms about how they protect children. If you feel a platform is not meeting its obligations, you can report concerns to Ofcom.
What Parents Should Do Now
- Review the safety settings on every platform your child uses -- platforms may have added new controls in response to the Act.
- Talk to your children about what they do online and encourage them to report anything that makes them uncomfortable.
- Stay informed about Ofcom's work -- Ofcom publishes regular updates on its implementation of the Act at ofcom.org.uk.
- If you believe a platform is not protecting your child adequately, report it to Ofcom's online safety team.
- Remember that legislation works alongside, not instead of, parental involvement -- keep having those conversations.
Key Takeaway
The Online Safety Act is a meaningful step forward for children's online protection in the UK. It shifts responsibility from parents alone to a shared model where platforms bear legal accountability. Understanding the Act helps you know what to expect from the services your family uses and empowers you to hold platforms to account.
