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ARTICLE · 01 DECEMBER 2023

Decoding The UK Online Safety Act 2023: Latest Draft Guidance, Key Features And Insights

Cooley LLP
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On 9 November 2023, the UK Office of Communications (Ofcom) issued its first set of draft guidance on the UK's long-anticipated Online Safety Act (OSA), which aims to protect online users against illegal...

United KingdomPrivacy
James Maton
James Maton
Morgan McCormack
Morgan McCormack
Joanne Elieli
Joanne Elieli
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On 9 November 2023, the UK Office of Communications (Ofcom) issued its first set of draft guidance on the UK's long-anticipated Online Safety Act (OSA), which aims to protect online users against illegal and harmful content. While the OSA officially became law in the UK on 26 October 2023, Ofcom – the UK's communications regulator – will now take a three-year phased approach to implementation and enforcement. The latest draft guidance from Ofcom focuses on how certain online service providers must approach their duties regarding 'illegal content' and is the first of four major consultations that Ofcom will conduct in the coming months.

At a high level, the OSA introduces a new UK regulatory regime to address online safety. It imposes extensive new obligations on online service providers to identify, mitigate and manage the risks of harm to users from illegal and harmful content. With a focus on the protection of children, the OSA builds on the age

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