United Kingdom: Office of Communications announced enforcement programme to monitor compliance with children's risk assessment duties under Online Safety Act

On 9 July 2025, the Office of Communications (Ofcom) announced an enforcement programme to monitor whether providers of user-to-user and search services are complying with their children’s risk assessment and record keeping duties under the Online Safety Act 2023. The programme applies to services likely to be accessed by children and assesses compliance with obligations to conduct a children’s access assessment by 16 April 2025 and, where applicable, a children’s risk assessment by 24 July 2025. Providers must keep written records of the assessment process and findings in an easily understandable form. Ofcom will review how its April 2025 guidance on risk assessments and record keeping is being applied, request documentation from selected providers, and may open formal investigations where concerns arise. The programme is expected to run for at least 12 months, with updates issued as relevant.