The Online Safety Act: An overview

Content warning: This briefing describes types of illegal content regulated by the act, including illegal types of pornography, which some readers may find distressing.

The Online Safety Act 2023

The Online Safety Act 2023 received Royal Assent on 26 October 2023. The act is expected to be fully implemented by mid-2027.

The framework established under the act requires in-scope services to implement systems and processes to keep all users safe from illegal content, and to protect the under-18s from harmful and age-inappropriate content.

The government has published an explainer on the act, summarising what it means for users and companies. Detailed information is available from the online safety section of Ofcom’s website.

Which services are in scope of the act?

The act applies to user-to-user services that have links with the UK and that enable the posting and sharing of user-generated content – for example, social media platforms, online forums, message boards, and dating apps. It also applies to search services (for example, Google and Bing) with links to the UK.

Ofcom’s role

Ofcom is the online safety regulator under the act. It is implementing the legislation in phases, as explained on its website.

Ofcom’s role includes issuing codes of practice setting out measures that in-scope services can take to comply with their duties under the act.

Ofcom can take enforcement action against non-compliant companies. It has already issued fines against platforms that have failed to protect users from illegal content and pornography. Ofcom’s enforcement options also include applying for court orders requiring third parties to withdraw services or block access to non-compliant services.

Protecting users from illegal content

All in-scope services must implement measures to reduce the risk of their services being used for illegal activity. They must also put in place systems for removing illegal content when it does appear.

Companies must take proactive measures to protect users against “priority offences”. These include:

• terrorism offences
• offences related to child sexual exploitation and abuse
• racially or religiously aggravated public order offences, immigration offences, drugs and weapons offences, and extreme pornography

The act’s illegal content duties have been in force since March 2025.

Protecting children

Protecting children is one of the main aims of the 2023 act. All in-scope services must protect children from illegal and harmful content if their service is likely to be accessed by children. They must do so by, among other things:

• removing illegal content quickly or preventing it from appearing in the first place
• preventing children from accessing harmful and age-inappropriate content (such as material promoting or encouraging suicide, self-harm or eating disorders; content depicting or encouraging serious violence; and bullying content)

Platforms publishing pornography have been required to implement “highly effective” age-assurance measures to protect children from accessing this type of content. The age assurance duties have been in force from the end of July 2025.

Criticism of the act

The act divides opinion. Some commentators and organisations argue, among other things, that the act threatens freedom of expression, privacy and data security.

Others have argued that the act needs strengthening to protect children more effectively and to address the harms associated with artificial intelligence and emerging technologies.

Online safety complaints

Harmful online content or behaviour should be reported directly to the online service involved. If concerns remain, users can complain to Ofcom. Although Ofcom cannot resolve or respond to individual complaints, it can use these to help assess whether regulated services are doing enough to protect their users.