What is the Online Safety Act?
The Online Safety Act is a new set of laws that protects everyone from illegal content online, and protects children from content that is harmful.
It makes tech firms legally responsible for their users’ safety. And it gives Ofcom powers as online safety regulator to enforce these laws – including taking action against firms that don’t comply with their online safety duties.
All sites and apps that children could use – regardless of whether they are accessed on a smartphone, tablet, computer or game platform – will have to follow our new rules, so that children have safer experiences online.
Does the Online Safety Act prevent children from using social media?
The act doesn’t ban children from social media, nor does it set a minimum age for them using it. It does say that social media companies must consistently enforce their age limits and protect their child users – but parents should be aware that some popular sites and apps have no minimum age requirements for their users.
And while we appreciate there is has been lots of debate around whether – or when – children should be able to own smartphones, the act doesn’t cover this so Ofcom has no legal powers in this area.
But the changes sites and apps will have to make as a result of our rules, will make sure children of all ages are safer online.
