Social media platforms operating in the UK now face severe penalties if they fail to tackle illegal content, including fraud, terrorism, and child sexual abuse material, following the introduction of the Online Safety Act.
The new law, which officially came into force on Monday, requires platforms such as Facebook, Google, X (formerly Twitter), Reddit, and OnlyFans to take active measures to prevent harmful content from appearing on their platforms and remove it swiftly if it does.
Under the legislation, tech companies that breach these rules could face fines of up to £18 million or 10% of their global revenue, which for giants like Meta or Google could amount to billions of pounds.
In extreme cases, platforms could even be blocked from operating in the UK. This marks a significant shift in the government’s approach to online safety, as companies are now being held legally responsible for the content shared on their platforms.
Ofcom, the UK’s communications regulator, has been tasked with overseeing the enforcement of these regulations. The watchdog has already published a set of guidelines that platforms must follow to avoid breaching the law.
These include stricter measures to protect children by hiding their profiles and locations by default, introducing tools that allow women to block and mute users who engage in harassment, and implementing systems to prevent the spread of illegal content, such as terrorist material and non-consensual intimate images.
Additionally, Ofcom has announced plans to investigate online storage and file-sharing platforms to ensure they have effective systems in place to prevent the distribution of child sexual abuse material. Companies that fail to cooperate or are found to have inadequate safeguards will face serious consequences.
The introduction of the Online Safety Act has been described by legal experts as a “major turning point” in the regulation of harmful online content.
For the first time, tech companies are being forced to take proactive steps to monitor and remove illegal material, rather than simply reacting to reports from users.
However, the act has also faced criticism from free speech advocates, particularly in the US, where some politicians have accused the UK of undermining freedom of expression. In response, UK officials have clarified that the law is focused solely on tackling criminal activity and protecting users from harm, not limiting public debate.
Despite concerns from some quarters, the UK government remains firm in its position. The technology secretary, Peter Kyle, emphasised that the crackdown on illegal content is only the beginning and that tech companies can no longer treat user safety as an afterthought.
With this legislation now in full effect, the UK has set a global precedent for holding social media giants accountable for the content on their platforms. Experts believe this could pave the way for similar regulations across Europe and beyond.
