United Kingdom: Opened consultation on Ofcom Safety Enforcement Guidance under the Online Safety Act

On 9 November 2023, the Office of Communications (Ofcom) opened a consultation on the enforcement guidance under the Online Safety Act. The public consultation is open until 23 February 2024. This guidance outlines Ofcom's enforcement powers as defined in the Online Safety Act, covering obligations and requirements on service providers and relevant third parties, including obligations relating to illegal content and child safety, record keeping and review, content reporting, complaints procedures and cooperation with investigations. In addition, the guidance explains the enforcement of regulatory obligations on non-service providers and certain third parties, but it does not apply to the criminal enforcement of offences under the Act. The guidance also sets out the enforcement process. The maximum joint penalty that can be imposed is the greater of GBP 18 million or 10% of the group's qualifying worldwide turnover.