Online Safety Update: Regulatory Developments In The UK And The EU

Over the past few weeks, the UK government has announced further steps to strengthen protections against harmful online content, while Ofcom has provided updates on its ongoing investigations and enforcement activities under the Online Safety Act. Meanwhile, the European Commission continues to advance its regulatory framework to protect children and ensure compliance with the Digital Services Act. This article describes the latest developments, highlighting key changes, enforcement actions, and the implications for online platforms and users.

Cyberflashing to become priority offence in the UK

At the end of September, the UK government announced that it will make cyberflashing a "priority offence" under Online Safety Act. This means stricter legal requirements on tech companies to actively prevent unsolicited nude images from being shared on their platforms, rather than reacting to it after the fact. The government suggests that companies could tackle these