House of Commons · Written Ministerial Statement
Online Safety Act Implementation
16 December 2024 · Department for Science, Innovation and Technology
Proposed by Peter Kyle Lab Hove and Portslade
Summarised by AI from the official record, so it can contain mistakes.
At a glance
Key points
- Online Safety Act implementation milestones include laying draft codes of practice for illegal content and threshold conditions for service categories.
- Ofcom submitted draft codes of practice to Parliament for scrutiny; if approved, they will become enforceable in 21 days.
- Providers have three months to complete their illegal content risk assessments.
Issue summary
The statement discusses the implementation milestones of the Online Safety Act, including laying draft codes of practice for illegal content and regulations setting out threshold conditions for different categories of services.
Action requested
Ofcom has submitted draft codes of practice to Parliament for scrutiny. If approved, these will become enforceable in 21 days. Providers have three months to complete their illegal content risk assessments. Ofcom plans a spring 2025 consultation on additional measures and aims to publish the register of categorised services by summer 2025.
Key facts
- The draft codes cover user-to-user and search services, setting out steps for addressing identified risks.
- Providers have three months to complete illegal content risk assessments coinciding with the codes' implementation.
- Ofcom's consultation in spring 2025 will focus on proactive detection of illegal content, especially harmful material affecting children.
- The Act requires Ofcom to set threshold conditions based on evidence and factors specified in Schedule 11.
- Services can face penalties up to 10% of worldwide revenue or £18 million for non-compliance.