United Kingdom: Office of Communications adopted guidance under Online Safety Act on tackling violent content related to knife crime

On 20 May 2025, the Office of Communications (Ofcom) adopted guidance on the applicability of the Online Safety Act for tackling violent content and the sale of illegal weapons, specifically addressing the link to knife crime and the risk to young people. Under the Online Safety Act, online services, including those offering e-commerce, user-generated content, and search functions, must protect users in the United Kingdom from content related to the sale of illegal knives and weapons, as well as content promoting violence. Services are also required to take action to prevent children from encountering violent content. Ofcom stated it would take enforcement measures against non-compliant providers, potentially including required changes, financial penalties, or restricting access in extreme cases.