House of Commons · Written Ministerial Statement
The Online Safety Act 2023 (Priority Offences) (Amendment) Regulations 2025
21 October 2025 · Department for Science, Innovation and Technology
Proposed by Kanishka Narayan Lab Vale of Glamorgan
Summarised by AI from the official record, so it can contain mistakes.
At a glance
Key points
- The Online Safety Act 2023 is being updated by the draft Online Safety Act 2023 (Priority Offences) (Amendment) Regulations 2025
- The draft regulations add cyberflashing and encouraging or assisting serious self-harm as new priority offences
- Online services will be required to prioritise these offences and take steps to prevent their facilitation
Issue summary
The statement addresses updates to the Online Safety Act 2023 by adding new priority offences.
Action requested
I am laying in draft the Online Safety Act 2023 (Priority Offences) (Amendment) Regulations 2025, which includes the cyberflashing offence and encouraging or assisting serious self-harm to the list of priority offences under Schedule 7. This will require online services to prioritise these offences and take steps to prevent their facilitation.
Key facts
- The Online Safety Act 2023 (Priority Offences) (Amendment) Regulations 2025 is being drafted.
- Cyberflashing and encouraging or assisting serious self-harm are added as priority offences under Schedule 7 of the OSA.
- These amendments aim to halve violence against women and girls and reduce self-harm and suicide.