United Kingdom: Published Ofcom report on first year of video-sharing platform (VSP) regulation

On 20 October 2022, the regulator and competition authority for the UK communications industries (Ofcom), issued the first report on video-sharing platforms (VSPs) regulation since it was appointed as regulator for platforms in the UK. The report covers the period of October 2021 to October 2022 and explores the following key findings by Ofcom: all platforms have implemented safety measures; platforms provided limited evidence on how well their safety measures are operating to protect users; more robust measures are needed to prevent children accessing pornography; some platforms are not sufficiently prepared for implementing regulation; and platforms have not prioritised risk assessment processes. In addition, the report describes the measures several platforms have adopted to protect their users, including TikTok, Snapchat, Twitch, Vimeo, BitChute, Smaller VSPs, OnlyFans, and Smaller adult VSPs. The report seeks to raise awareness of how VSPs protect users from harmful content. Alongside the first report, Ofcom also published supplementary reports on both the context of the VSP market and user experiences and attitudes.