Online Safety Bill - Time to Act

The UK Online Safety Act is poised to become a formidable regulatory force, placing significant obligations on tech firms to ensure a safer digital environment. This will have hard-hitting implications for tech companies and emphasise the critical importance of building compliance throughout the design of their platforms.

The Stark Reality of Compliance:

The Online Safety Act makes it abundantly clear that compliance is not a matter of chance. Tech firms will face stringent requirements, leaving no room for indifference or oversight.

Confronting Three Fundamental Duties:

The bill mandates that tech companies confront three core duties, and each one demands rigorous adherence:

Protecting Children: With a laser focus on safeguarding the young, the bill's measures will require tech firms to put comprehensive age verification systems in place, ensuring that explicit or harmful content remains beyond the reach of minors.

Shielding the Public from Illegal Content: Tech firms will need to be unwavering in their fight against illegal content. This includes taking proactive measures to prevent the spread of content related to child sexual abuse, terrorism, revenge pornography, and threats to life.

Helping Adults Avoid Harmful Content: The most influential platforms, labelled "category one" firms, must offer users the means to customize their online experience to avoid specific forms of content. This obligation extends to protecting individuals from self-harm, abuse, and discrimination.

The Role of Ofcom:

Oversight of compliance falls under the purview of the communications regulator, Ofcom. Who will shortly issue strict guidance and codes of practice, with little tolerance for lapses in execution.

Hard-Hitting Consequences:

For companies that falter in their commitment to compliance, the consequences are severe. The bill empowers Ofcom to impose substantial fines of up to ￡18 million or 10% of a company's global turnover. In extreme cases, it even has the authority to block websites or apps.

Digital Identity – The Solution:

To ensure adherence to these rules, companies must understand the identity of those posting and receiving content on their platforms. These platforms do not need to know our individual details, just pertinent facts, like “is the user accessing content over 18?” Building digital identity into the fabric of these platforms allows safeguards to be put in place, whilst allowing individuals the freedoms they are allowed on these platforms.

Conclusion:

The UK Online Safety Act is more than just a regulatory framework; it's an ongoing commitment to making the digital space safer for us all. The hard-hitting consequences for firms that fail to comply serve as a stark reminder of the act's core goal of online safety. Compliance is not merely a legal obligation but a moral imperative, and it's a responsibility that tech companies cannot afford to overlook.