Tech Companies Face Tightened Online Safety Rules in the UK, Starting Monday

Starting Monday, tech companies operating in the UK must take immediate action to implement stricter safeguards to protect users from illegal content, including child sexual abuse images. This marks the beginning of the UK’s aggressive enforcement of its Online Safety Act, with the goal of ensuring that platforms are safer and more responsible by design.

According to Reuters, UK media regulator Ofcom has instructed major tech companies such as Meta’s Facebook, ByteDance’s TikTok, and Alphabet’s YouTube to enhance their moderation processes, introduce easier reporting mechanisms, and implement built-in safety measures to prevent criminal activities. “Platforms must now act quickly to come into compliance with their legal duties, and our codes are designed to help them do that,” said Suzanne Cater, the enforcement director at Ofcom.

The Online Safety Act, which became law in 2023, imposes stricter regulations on digital platforms with a special focus on protecting children and eliminating harmful, illegal content. As part of this enforcement effort, Ofcom issued its first codes of practice in December 2023, giving companies until March 16, 2025, to assess the risks posed by illegal content on their platforms.

Read more: UK Demands Access to Apple’s Encrypted Cloud Data, Spark Legal and Privacy Battle

Failure to comply with these new regulations could lead to hefty fines. Ofcom has the authority to impose penalties of up to 18 million pounds ($23.31 million) or 10% of a company’s global annual turnover. The regulator has made it clear that it is prepared to use its enforcement powers to ensure companies meet these requirements.

In particular, Ofcom highlighted the vulnerabilities of file-sharing and file-storage services, which it says are often exploited for the distribution of illegal child sexual abuse material. In response, the regulator launched a separate enforcement program on Monday to assess how these services are addressing the risks of such content.

Per Reuters, Ofcom has requested that several firms offering file-storage services submit their risk assessments by March 31, 2025. Failure to meet this deadline could result in similar penalties for these companies.

Source: Reuters