The Online Safety Act 2023 (the “Act”) is a new piece of legislation that aims to enhance internet safety and tackle online harms. This legislation went through various stages in both the House of Lords and the House of Commons before receiving Royal Assent and officially becoming part of the law on 26th October 2023. The act introduces several key measures that media companies and content creators should be aware of.
What the Online Safety Act 2023 covers:
The main purpose of the Act is to hold large social media platforms and search engines more accountable for keeping their users, especially children, safe online. Key areas covered by the act include:
- Requiring companies to remove illegal content such as child sexual abuse material;
- Preventing the spread of misinformation and disinformation;
- Protecting users from cyberbullying and trolling;
- Limiting users’ exposure to inappropriate or harmful content; and
- Companies in scope of the regulations will need to carry out regular risk assessments and have clear user redress methods in place. There will also be much more transparency required around algorithmic decision making processes.
- Setting out very clearly what content is and is not acceptable;
- Having fast processes for reviewing/removing content that violates policies;
- Allowing users to easily report problematic content or accounts;
- Being transparent about decisions to remove or restrict content; and
- Promoting age assurance and identifying verification to better protect younger users. Media companies should look closely at their age gatekeeping and parental control options.
