United KingdomOnline Safety Act 2023, Part 3 (children's risk assessment and safety duties)
Online Safety Act 2023, c. 50, ss. 11-12 (Part 3)
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What follows is LexLint's own research summary of this law, not legal advice.
In force since 10 January 2024.
A social media and minors rule binding private bodies.
As of 15 July 2026.
What this law does
Drafted with AI from the cited sources under the direction of UnGovr staff. UnGovr holds editorial responsibility for this page.
Requires providers of user-to-user services and search services likely to be accessed by children in the UK to carry out children's risk assessments and to use proportionate measures, including age verification or age estimation where appropriate, to prevent children encountering primary priority content harmful to children such as pornography, self harm, suicide, and eating disorder content. Sections 11 and 12 came into force on 10 January 2024.
If you get it wrong
Penalties
Fines up to the greater of GBP 18,000,000 or 10 percent of qualifying worldwide revenue.
Who enforces it
Enforcement body
Ofcom
Litigation
- Matter
- Ofcom confirmation decision against AVS Group Ltd
- Posture
- Ofcom found AVS Group's photo upload age check lacked liveness detection and could be circumvented by children, in breach of section 12, and imposed a GBP 1,000,000 fine plus a GBP 50,000 fine for failing to respond to a statutory information request, with a running penalty of GBP 1,000 per day for continuing non-compliance. Confirmation decision dated 3 December 2025.
- Source link
- https://www.ofcom.org.uk/online-safety/protecting-children/ofcom-fines-porn-company-1million-for-not-having-robust-age-checks
What it reaches
Age threshold
18
Covered services
User-to-user services and search services likely to be accessed by children in the UK, with additional duties on Category 1 (large) platforms.
Verification methods
Facial estimation, Gov ID, Third party service, Self declaration
Who checks it
Audit expectation
none
When LexLint raises it
operates_social_platform
Read the law
official statute text, legislation.gov.uk
Every line above is drawn from the primary source linked here, read on the date shown. This is a research summary, not legal advice.