United KingdomOfcom Protection of Children Codes of Practice
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What follows is LexLint's own research summary of this law, not legal advice.
In force since 25 July 2025.
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.
Sets out the measures Ofcom expects user-to-user and search services likely to be accessed by children to adopt to comply with the Online Safety Act's children's safety duties, including age assurance, safer default settings and algorithms, and content moderation; providers that follow the Codes are treated as compliant.
Ofcom published the final Codes on 24 April 2025; providers had to complete children's risk assessments by 24 July 2025 and have risk mitigation measures in place from 25 July 2025, after the Codes completed the required Parliamentary process.
If you get it wrong
Penalties
Fines up to the greater of GBP 18,000,000 or 10 percent of qualifying worldwide revenue; business disruption measures for serious or repeated breaches.
Who enforces it
Enforcement body
Ofcom
What it reaches
Covered services
User-to-user services and search services likely to be accessed by children in the UK.
Verification methods
Facial estimation, Gov ID, Third party service, Device signal, Self declaration
Who checks it
Audit expectation
periodic
Who audits it
Self, Internal independent
Where the report goes
Kept
When LexLint raises it
operates_social_platform
Read the law
official Ofcom statement and codes of practice
Every line above is drawn from the primary source linked here, read on the date shown. This is a research summary, not legal advice.