United Kingdom: Office of Communications published Children’s Register of Risks

On 24 April 2025, the Office of Communications (Ofcom) published the Children’s Register of Risks, outlining the risks associated with various types of harmful content that children may encounter online. This register is structured around the types of content classified as harmful to children under the Online Safety Act 2023, including primary priority content (PPC) such as pornographic content, suicide and self-harm content, and eating disorder content, as well as priority content (PC) like abuse and hate content, bullying content, violent content, harmful substances content, and dangerous stunts and challenges content. Additionally, it covers non-designated content (NDC) such as depression content and body stigma content. It defines harm to include physical and psychological effects, including cumulative and indirect forms, noting that harm may result from single incidents or repeated exposure. Ofcom's sector-wide risk assessment draws from extensive research and input from children, parents, practitioners, and experts to describe the presence and risk of harmful content. The register identifies risk factors for each type of harmful content, including functionalities and characteristics of user-to-user services that may increase the risks of harm. It also discusses cross-cutting considerations, such as the role of search services, governance, systems and processes, business models, and the wider service and user context in shaping risk factors.