The Online Safety Act 2023 is the most significant piece of legislation affecting your child's digital life in a generation. Yet for most parents, it remains largely unknown.
This guide cuts through the jargon — what the Act requires, what it means in your home, and what you can do when platforms fall short.
Why the Act Exists
The Online Safety Act was partly born from tragedy. The death of 14-year-old Molly Russell in 2017 — who had been exposed to extensive harmful content on Instagram and Pinterest — became a defining moment in the debate about social media's duty of care to children.
Her father Ian Russell gave evidence at a 2022 inquest that confirmed algorithmic content's role in her death. His advocacy helped push the Act over the line after years of parliamentary delay. It received Royal Assent in October 2023. Ofcom, the UK's communications regulator, is responsible for enforcement.
What the Act Requires
Age assurance: Platforms must take 'technically feasible' steps to prevent children accessing harmful content — genuine age verification, not tick-box confirmations.
Algorithmic accountability: Platforms must assess and mitigate risks from recommendation algorithms. Content about self-harm, eating disorders, suicide, and violence must not be recommended to minors.
Default safe settings: For services likely to be accessed by children, the most protective privacy and safety settings must be on by default. Children should not have to opt in to safety.
Transparency reporting: Platforms must publish annual reports on what harmful content was found, how much was removed, and how effective their safety measures are.
Duty of care: For the first time, platforms have a legal duty of care towards users, particularly children. The burden shifts from parents to platforms being legally required to design safe environments.