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ARTICLE · 06 MARCH 2025

Illegal Harms Assessments - Ofcom Launches Enforcement Programme

Lewis Silkin
Lewis Silkin
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Lewis Silkin

Lewis Silkin

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Ofcom is keeping busy. Hot on the heels of its consultation on keeping women and girls safe online and issuing its final guidance on information requests, it has now made its first information requests.

United KingdomMedia, Telecoms, IT, Entertainment
Geraint Lloyd-Taylor
Geraint Lloyd-Taylor
Fleur Chenevix-Trench
Fleur Chenevix-Trench
Helen Hart
Helen Hart
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Ofcom is keeping busy. Hot on the heels of its consultation on keeping women and girls safe online and issuing its final guidance on information requests, it has now made its first information requests under the Online Safety Act 2023 concerning illegal harms assessments.

New illegal harms duties and risk assessments

The illegal harms duties under the Act came into force on 16 December 2024 when Ofcom published its illegal harms codes of practice and guidance.

Before they can combat illegal harms on their platforms, providers must carry out risk assessments to improve their understanding of how risks of different kinds of illegal harm could arise on their services, and what safety measures they need to put in place to protect users.

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