UK Online Safety Act 2023
The UK Online Safety Act 2023 establishes a comprehensive regulatory framework for online safety, placing duties on user-to-user services and search services to protect users from illegal content and, for larger platforms, content harmful to children. Ofcom is the regulator. Category 1 services (largest platforms with highest risk) face additional duties regarding content harmful to adults, user empowerment, and transparency. The Act covers illegal content duties, child safety duties, fraudulent advertising, and platform transparency. Significant penalties including up to 10% of global revenue.
UK Online Safety Act 2023 is a compliance framework from United Kingdom (Ofcom) with 4 domains and 19 controls that map to 23 other frameworks. The largest domains are Online Safety Act: Duties of Care (6 controls), Online Safety Act: Communications Offences and Child Protection (5 controls), Online Safety Act: Ofcom Codes and Enforcement (5 controls). Every control below carries what it requires and what an assessor expects to see.
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Framework Domains (4)
Online Safety Act: Communications Offences and Child Protection
| Code | Title |
|---|---|
| UKOSA-OFF-01 | False Communications Offence |
| UKOSA-OFF-02 | Threatening Communications Offence |
| UKOSA-OFF-03 | Intimate Image Abuse Offence |
| UKOSA-OFF-04 | CSAM Reporting to NCA |
| UKOSA-OFF-05 | Age Verification Requirements |
Online Safety Act: Duties of Care
| Code | Title |
|---|---|
| UKOSA-DC-01 | Illegal Content Risk Assessment |
| UKOSA-DC-02 | Illegal Content Safety Duties |
| UKOSA-DC-03 | Children's Risk Assessment |
| UKOSA-DC-04 | Children's Safety Duties |
| UKOSA-DC-05 | User Empowerment Duties |
| UKOSA-DC-06 | Content Reporting Mechanisms |
Online Safety Act: Ofcom Codes and Enforcement
| Code | Title |
|---|---|
| UKOSA-REG-01 | Codes of Practice |
| UKOSA-REG-02 | Information Gathering Powers |
| UKOSA-REG-03 | Enforcement Notices |
| UKOSA-REG-04 | Financial Penalties |
| UKOSA-REG-05 | Business Disruption Measures |
Online Safety Act: Transparency Reporting
| Code | Title |
|---|---|
| UKOSA-TR-01 | Annual Transparency Reports |
| UKOSA-TR-02 | Content Moderation Information |
| UKOSA-TR-03 | Algorithmic Transparency |
Your Compliance Coverage
If you comply with UK Online Safety Act 2023, you already cover:
Maps to 23 other frameworks
What is UK Online Safety Act 2023 and who does it apply to?
UK Online Safety Act 2023 is a compliance framework from United Kingdom (Ofcom) with 4 domains and 19 controls. The UK Online Safety Act 2023 establishes a comprehensive regulatory framework for online safety, placing duties on user-to-user services and search services to protect users from illegal content and, for larger platforms, content harmful to children. Ofcom is the regulator. Category 1 services (largest platforms with highest risk) face additional duties regarding content harmful to adults, user empowerment, and transparency. The Act covers illegal content duties, child safety duties, fraudulent advertising, and platform transparency. Significant penalties including up to 10% of global revenue. It is used by organisations to establish and maintain compliance with industry standards and regulatory requirements.
What does UK Online Safety Act 2023 actually require?
UK Online Safety Act 2023 has 19 controls organised across 4 domains. The largest domains are Online Safety Act: Duties of Care (6 controls), Online Safety Act: Communications Offences and Child Protection (5 controls), Online Safety Act: Ofcom Codes and Enforcement (5 controls). Each control defines specific requirements that organisations must implement to achieve compliance.
If I already comply with another framework, how much of UK Online Safety Act 2023 do I already cover?
UK Online Safety Act 2023 maps to 23 other compliance frameworks. The top mapping partners are Australia Online Safety Act 2021 (32% coverage), Australia eSafety Commissioner - Online Safety Expectations for Industry (16% coverage), API 1164 (11% coverage). Use our comparison tool to explore control-level mappings between frameworks.
How do I implement UK Online Safety Act 2023?
Start your UK Online Safety Act 2023 compliance journey by running a self-assessment on our platform to identify your current compliance posture. Our AI advisory can answer specific questions about UK Online Safety Act 2023 requirements, and cross-framework mapping helps you leverage existing controls from other frameworks you may already comply with. Create a free account to access all 19 controls and track your progress.
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