United Kingdom: Ofcom illegal content Codes of Practice for user-to-user services implementing Online Safety Act including defaults protections for minors entered into force

On 17 March 2025, the Office of Communications (Ofcom)'s illegal content Codes of Practice for user-to-user services that implement the Online Safety Act entered into force. Providers were required to carry out an illegal harm risk assessment by 16 March 2025, following which they must implement suitable measures to revoke illegal content on their platforms and reduce the risk of this content appearing. These codes introduce protections for minors, as platforms are required to ensure that, by default, children's profiles, locations, friends, and connections are not visible to other users and that non-connected accounts cannot send them direct messages. In addition, children should receive guidance on the risks of sharing personal information and should not appear in suggested lists of people users may wish to add to their network.