Jurisdiction(s):
United Kingdom

Online Safety Act 2023 (UK): scope, duties, categorisation, pornographic content obligations, enforcement, and Ofcom Codes of Practice and compliance timelines—A quick guide for legal practitioners

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Practice notes

STOP PRESS :

On 29 April 2026, the Crime and Policing Act 2026 obtained Royal Assent. This statute will bring a series of amendments to the Online Safety Act 2023 (OSA 2023), among them the creation of additional digital offences, and adjustments across the framework. See: LNB News 30/04/2026 21. This Practice Note is impacted by that development and is currently being revised to reflect those legislative shifts in detail. The Practice Note offers a concise, accessible overview of OSA 2023. It sets out what OSA 2023 covers, the categories of services it captures, and the way the regime functions. It also outlines when services falling within OSA 2023’s scope must begin meeting the requirements. OSA 2023 received Royal Assent on 26 October 2023 and partially commenced on that day. The obligations and duties in OSA 2023 will not bite in full until Ofcom has issued finalised versions of all its Codes of Practice and guidance, as these documents explain in detail how services can satisfy each duty. In general, a service has three months from the release of final documents to start complying with the relevant obligation. To monitor the progress of OSA 2023 as its provisions gradually, incrementally come...

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Web page updated on 27/05/2026

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