United Kingdom: Published Online Safety Enforcement Guidance under Online Safety Bill

On 16 December 2024, the Office of Communications (Ofcom) published the enforcement guidance under the Online Safety Act. This guidance explains Ofcom's standard approach to enforcing compliance when it identifies potential breaches of obligations by service providers, individuals, or third parties under the Act. Moreover, the guidance delineates the obligations and requirements for service providers and relevant third parties, including those pertaining to the prohibition of illegal content, child safety, record-keeping and review, content reporting, complaints procedures, and cooperation with investigations. Additionally, the guidance addresses enforcement of obligations on non-service providers and certain third parties but explicitly excludes the criminal enforcement of offences under the Act. It sets out the enforcement process, including initial assessments, investigations, and outcomes, with penalties for non-compliance potentially reaching the greater of GBP 18 million or 10% of the group's qualifying worldwide turnover.