House of Commons · Written Ministerial Statement
Crisis Response Updates to the Online Safety Act Codes of Practice
18 June 2026 · 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's crisis response provisions are being updated to better protect communities from real-world harm caused by viral harmful content.
- Draft amendments to Ofcom's Codes of Practice on illegal content and child protection are laid before Parliament for scrutiny.
- These amendments require platforms to have effective crisis response arrangements, mitigate risks, and collaborate with law enforcement.
Issue summary
The statement addresses updates to the Online Safety Act's crisis response provisions to better protect communities from real-world harm caused by viral harmful content.
Action requested
Draft amendments to Ofcom’s Codes of Practice on illegal content and child protection are being laid before Parliament for scrutiny. These amendments will require platforms to have effective crisis response arrangements, mitigate risks, and collaborate with law enforcement. They build on existing measures and come into force after a 40-day period.
Key facts
- Recent incidents in Southport, Leicester, and Belfast demonstrate the impact of online activity on public safety.
- Ofcom’s initial Codes came into force in March and July 2025.
- Draft amendments set an expectation for platforms to have effective crisis response arrangements and work closely with law enforcement.
- The updated measures will come into force 21 days after the Codes are issued following a 40-day scrutiny period.