The Online Safety Act 2023 is a UK legislation designed to enhance online safety by imposing duties on providers of user-to-user services, such as social media platforms, to protect users from illegal and harmful content.
IFTAS is in contact with Ofcom to help educate them on the decentralised landscape and to learn what tools and resources we can source or create to aid with compliance. Additionally, IFTAS and Tremau are working on a OSA Guide for Decentralised Services (similar to our previously-published DSA Guide). A template risk assessment is being worked on and we will link it below once available.
The Act mandates that these platforms assess risks related to illegal content, implement measures to mitigate such risks, and establish systems for swift removal of illegal material when it appears.
Additionally, the Act introduces stringent protections for children, requiring platforms to prevent access to harmful and age-inappropriate content and to provide accessible reporting mechanisms for users. Of note, if your online service hosts pornographic content, you will need to estimate or verify your users’ ages so that children cannot view it. Alternatives including not hosting pornographic content, or geo-blocking the UK.
For operators of decentralised services, the Act’s requirements are proportionate to factors such as the risk of harm to individuals and the size and capacity of each provider. Ofcom, the independent regulator, is responsible for setting out steps providers can take to fulfil their safety duties through codes of practice and has the authority to enforce compliance.
Online services must establish clear mechanisms for user reporting and complaints, ensuring these processes are accessible, including to children. Non-compliance with the Act can result in significant penalties, including fines up to £18 million or 10% of global revenue, whichever is higher. Ofcom has a broad range of enforcement powers, from investigating and auditing services to taking business disruption measures against the most severe offenders.
Guidance for Fediverse Providers
- Does the Online Safety Act apply to your service? This page provides information about the Online Safety Act 2023 (the “Act”) and who it applies to.
- Online Safety Act: explainer – Official guidance from Ofcom
- Duties and Actions – Ofcom’s calendar of when regulations and enforcement come into force
- Online Safety Act Notes for Small Sites – This document is targeted towards operators of small “user-to-user” services, with up to 700,000 UK users, and which are not “likely to be accessed by children”.
- Indie and Community Web Compliance Mailing List – Tl;dr not really a newsletter, but an informal community list for indie and community web makers who want to maintain a vibrant Web that works for everyone 🙂
- https://onlinesafetyact.co.uk/ – A place to collate my thoughts and notes about the UK’s Online Safety Act 2023, in case they are of use to anyone else (https://mastodon.neilzone.co.uk/@neil).
- Ofcom’s draft guidance on the Online Safety Act’s porn provisions
Fediverse Accounts to Follow
- https://mastodon.neilzone.co.uk/@neil
- https://chaos.social/@russss
- https://assemblag.es/@rachelcoldicutt
Background Reading
- LFGSS and Microcosm shutting down 16th March 2025 (the day before the Online Safety Act is enforced)
- Gaming on Linux forum closed
- Wikipedia will not perform Online Safety Bill age checks
Discussion and Support
IFTAS Connect Legal and Compliance Discussion Forum (IFTAS Connect members only)
