UK Online Safety Act: Overview
Louise Popple provides a table summary of the main obligations under the OSA.
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The UK's Online Safety Act received Royal Assent on 26 October 2023, with the majority of provisions expected to come into force two months from then. The OSA aims to protect online users from illegal and, particularly in the case of children, certain types of harmful user-generated content. It will impact online user-to-user and search service providers, however, much of the detail around compliance will be provided by Ofcom in the form of codes of practice and guidance. We look at where the OSA has ended up after its lengthy and controversial progress through Parliament, and at what we know so far, covering:
- The OSA in two pages – a summary table
- Who's caught?
- Safety duties and in-scope content
- The OSA and children
- Ofcom's powers and duties
- Ofcom's approach to regulating the OSA
- The UK's Online Safety Act compared with the EU's Digital Services Act
- Risk assessments
- Freedom of speech and privacy, journalistic content, news publisher content and content of democratic importance.
Online Safety Act – are you caught?
Louise Popple looks at the range of businesses caught within the scope of the OSA.
MoreThe UK's Online Safety Act – safety duties
Xuyang Zhu and Danielle Owusu give an overview of safety duties in relation to the different types of illegal and harmful content covered by the OSA.
MoreThe Online Safety Act and children
Megan Lukins looks at the application of the OSA to user-to-user content likely to be accessed by children.
MoreOfcom's powers and duties under the Online Safety Act
Debbie Heywood looks at Ofcom's wide range of duties and powers under the Online Safety Act.
MoreGetting ready to regulate the OSA – Ofcom sets out three-year plan
Debbie Heywood looks at what to expect from Ofcom as its powers under the Online Safety Act commence.
MoreThe UK's OSA vs the EU's DSA: how similar are they?
Miles Harmsworth takes a high level look at some of the key overlaps and differences that in-scope digital service providers will need to consider under both regimes.
MoreRisk assessments under the Online Safety Act
Mark Owen looks at requirements to carry out risk assessments under the OSA.
MoreThe Online Safety Act's approach to protecting fundamental rights and freedoms
Timothy Pinto asks whether the OSA has found the right balance between protecting freedom of expression, privacy, journalistic content and content of democratic importance, and protecting online users.
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