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The Online Safety Act 2023 is the UK’s landmark legislation for regulating social media platforms and online services. It fundamentally changes the responsibilities of companies like Meta, and gives UK users new rights and protections. This guide explains what the Act means in practical terms for Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp users.
What is the Online Safety Act?
The Online Safety Act received Royal Assent in October 2023 and is being implemented in phases through 2025–2026. It creates a new regulatory framework overseen by Ofcom, requiring online platforms to: protect users (especially children) from illegal and harmful content, be more transparent about their content moderation practices, provide effective reporting and complaints mechanisms, and conduct risk assessments for the types of harm their services may cause.
What Social Media Platforms Must Do
Under the Act, platforms like Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp must: remove illegal content promptly once reported or detected, prevent children from accessing age-inappropriate content, offer users tools to control what they see, publish transparency reports about content moderation, conduct and publish risk assessments, maintain effective complaints and appeals processes, and cooperate with Ofcom’s regulatory requirements.
For messaging services like WhatsApp, the Act includes provisions that have sparked debate about end-to-end encryption. The government has the power to require platforms to use “accredited technology” to detect child sexual abuse material, even in encrypted messages, though this power has been described as a “last resort.”
What It Means for You as a UK User
In practical terms, UK users should expect: better content moderation on Facebook and Instagram, faster removal of illegal content, more transparency about why content is removed or accounts restricted, improved appeals processes for content moderation decisions, age verification requirements for certain content, and new reporting tools specifically designed to meet regulatory requirements.
Child Safety Provisions
The Act places particular emphasis on protecting children (under 18) online. Platforms must: prevent children from encountering harmful content, implement age verification or estimation technology, provide enhanced reporting mechanisms for content affecting children, and conduct specific children’s risk assessments. Parents and guardians can report concerns about child safety to both the platform and Ofcom.
Enforcement and Penalties
Ofcom has significant enforcement powers under the Act: fines of up to £18 million or 10% of global annual revenue (whichever is higher), power to block access to non-compliant services in the UK, criminal liability for senior managers who fail to cooperate with Ofcom, and power to require business disruption measures. To report a platform’s non-compliance, contact Ofcom at ofcom.org.uk.