The United Kingdom’s online safety regime officially came into force on Monday, requiring social media platforms such as Meta’s Facebook and ByteDance’s TikTok to combat illegal activity and prioritize safety by design.
The Online Safety Act, enacted last year, sets new standards to protect children and remove illegal content.
Media regulator Ofcom published its first codes of practice, targeting illegal harms such as child sexual abuse and the encouragement of suicide. Platforms have until March 16, 2025, to assess risks posed by illegal content to both children and adults, and must implement measures such as improved moderation, easier reporting tools, and built-in safety mechanisms to address these risks.
Ofcom Chief Executive Melanie Dawes emphasized the importance of compliance, stating, “We’ll be watching the industry closely to ensure firms meet the strict safety standards set under our first codes and guidance, with additional requirements to follow in the first half of next year.”
Under the new code, high-risk platforms will be required to use tools such as hash-matching and URL detection to identify child sexual abuse material. Platforms must also ensure reporting and complaint systems are easy to access and use.
Non-compliance could result in fines of up to 18 million pounds ($22.3 million) or 10% of a company’s global annual revenue. Technology Secretary Peter Kyle described the rules as a significant change, stating, “If platforms fail to step up, the regulator has my full backing to use its powers, including issuing fines and blocking site access through the courts.”
The measures represent a major step in strengthening online protections and holding tech companies accountable.
