On 28 October 2024, the United Kingdom's Office of Communications (Ofcom) announced an inquiry and opened a public consultation into how independent researchers access information from online services, including messaging service providers, e-commerce platforms, content platforms, and search service providers. The consultation closes on 17 January 2025. The inquiry is part of Ofcom's responsibilities under the Online Safety Act 2023, assessing the current state of access to information for research into online safety matters. The inquiry seeks to identify the challenges that constrain information sharing and explore potential measures to facilitate greater access for researchers.
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