United Kingdom: Office of Communications issued guidance on children’s access assessments

On 16 January 2025, the Office of Communications (Ofcom) issued guidance to support providers of regulated user-to-user and search services (Part 3 services) in carrying out children's access assessments to comply with the Online Safety Act 2023. A children’s access assessment is a process to determine whether a service is likely to be accessed by users under 18. Providers must assess if children can access their service and, if so, whether the service attracts a significant number of child users. If a service is deemed likely to be accessed by children, it must meet additional safety duties, including conducting risk assessments and implementing protections. Services must document their assessments, ensuring they are suitable, sufficient, and evidence-based, with potential enforcement for non-compliance. This guidance clarifies the process and timing for assessments, emphasising the need for effective age assurance where relevant.