Online safety experts criticised Ofcom’s enforcement of the OSA so far, and questioned its ability to effectively implement a forthcoming social media ban for under-16s
Online risks have grown and evolved since the OSA came into force
On 13 October 2026, the House of Lords Communications and Digital Committee heard evidence from children’s online safety experts on the implementation of the Online Safety Act (OSA) in the UK. Professor Sonia Livingstone (Professor of Social Psychology, London School of Economics and Political Science) stated that while the hope would be for online risks to have decreased in the year after the act had passed, they had actually been increasing. She highlighted that established risks (e.g. bullying and inappropriate content) do not just disappear as new ones arise, but that they become increasingly interconnected, with vulnerable people more likely to be affected. Andy Burrows (CEO, Molly Rose Foundation) agreed that online threats are now more hybrid in nature, which he considered a major issue for the OSA as it mainly thinks in silos. With regards to young people (especially girls) being groomed on online gaming platforms for sadistic motivations, such as encouraging suicide, Burrows claimed that Ofcom had been “asleep at the wheel”, and that the regulator’s response to such harms had fallen short.
Ofcom has been too slow to enforce the OSA, especially in comparison to the EC’s approach under the DSA
According to Katie Freeman-Taylor (Policy and Research Director, Internet Matters), new harms created by services such as AI chatbots pose similar risks to those on social media platforms, but are not sufficiently addressed by the OSA. She noted that platforms continue to roll out new services such as AI or messaging features, and questioned why they were not more strictly regulated by Ofcom. For example, she stated that Ofcom has only just launched an investigation into Meta’s new disappearing content feature, despite it being available for the past few months. Burrows agreed that Ofcom’s enforcement of the act had been too slow, and compared the approaches of the regulator and the EC. According to Burrows, under the Digital Services Act (DSA), the EC has opened investigations into big tech companies such as TikTok and Meta, and made it clear that it has the intention to make the full use of its powers and to impose sanctions if appropriate. On the other hand, he argued that Ofcom has been slow to open investigations into some of the larger social media platforms, and when it has acted, any measures imposed have essentially represented a “procedural slap on the wrist”.
Regulation should do more to incentivise platforms to make their services safe by design
The panellists noted that the OSA should go further by implementing safety by design – going broader than regulating illegal and harmful content by targeting addictive design features. Livingstone acknowledged that, internationally, steps are being taken towards this approach, such as the outcome of a lawsuit filed against Meta by 29 US states, which requires the company to make its platforms (Facebook and Instagram) safer for minors. Burrows also advocated a more proactive approach, suggesting that if regulation relies solely on ex-post content moderation, this would not do enough to prevent harms, especially as content can be distributed at scale very quickly. He also called into question the UK’s proposed social media ban for under-16s, highlighting that, as the OSA has not delivered “meaningful change”, we should expect similar results from a ban with the same enforcement mechanism. He considered that Canada’s proposed ban could be more effective as it is intended to incentivise platforms to make their services safe for use by minors. However, Livingstone noted that if social media platforms are only allowed on the market if they can prove that they are safe to use, there would likely be legal challenges, and that this would therefore require strong and robust regulation.
Ofcom’s enforcement of online safety rules has not come at the expense of its other responsibilities
Online safety was the primary focus of a subsequent House of Commons Digital, Culture, Media and Sport Committee session, held on 20 October 2026, where Sir Ian Cheshire (Chair, Ofcom) and Dame Melanie Dawes (Chief Executive, Ofcom) sought to defend the work of Ofcom in implementing the OSA. Cheshire – appearing for the first time since taking up his current position – stated that Ofcom’s responsibility to enforce the act had “changed the game” for the regulator. After 18 months spent writing codes of practice, he now saw Ofcom at an inflection point, with the next phase of enforcement about achieving “impact”, for which the regulator has both “the teeth and the stomach”. On the all too familiar question of how Ofcom balances its workload in light of its expanded remit, Cheshire stated that resource in one area was not being “bled off” to another, adding that there is similarly no trade off in practice in how the regulator delivers against its duties in respect of consumer welfare and economic growth. Dawes underlined that no areas (e.g. telecoms) had been deprioritised or seen reduced headcount due to Ofcom’s widened remit, seeing only synergies from the regulation of digital infrastructure and services under one roof.
The regulator would be prepared to enforce a social media ban from day one (with further resources)
Dawes also outlined the approach Ofcom would take to a future ban on social media for under-16s, the legislation for which she expects (and hopes) the UK Government will present by Christmas. Dawes stated that the regulator would immediately consult on what effective age assurance would look like, stressing that platforms getting age gates working would be the “biggest single thing” to do in order to screen out under-16s – particularly as existing 13+ policies have essentially proved meaningless. Dawes signposted Ofcom’s publication of an initial report “next week” to “put platforms on notice” as to what the regulator would expect from them in response to social media restrictions. She noted that Ofcom would be prepared to enforce any legislation “hard and fast from the beginning” should those expectations not be met – although Cheshire made clear that effective enforcement of a ban would require the regulator securing additional resources. On comparisons between international regulatory regimes, Dawes recognised that voluntary commitments relating to addiction that Meta has committed to in the US would not be measures covered by the OSA, raising a policy question for the Government and Parliament about whether the regulation ought to be expanded. However, she stated that a social media ban in the UK would be “far more draconian” for the company to comply with than anything stemming from the $17bn (£12.8bn) settlement agreed with those 29 US states in August 2026. Nevertheless, both Dawes and Cheshire emphasised that removing underage children from social media would need a wider societal push (as circumvention options, e.g. VPNs, would still be available), requiring ongoing work from parents, Ofcom and tech platforms alike.
A commercial solution for the future of TalkTalk is better than the operator’s unmanaged liquidation
Regarding telecoms, MP questions centred largely on operators’ upcoming 2G switch-off, which Dawes acknowledged carries more risk than the retirement of the UK’s 3G networks. She considered that the 2G charter agreed between the Government and operators in March 2026 was useful, but that Ofcom’s rules would serve as a backstop to ensure industry continues to meet its responsibilities to customers. Dawes added that it was wise to have the voluntary “concordat” in place now (i.e. ahead of the switch-offs actually occurring), particularly given that a corresponding charter for the shutdown of the PSTN was only agreed when the process was already underway. Once legacy mobile networks are retired, she considered that operators’ focus would (and should) be on improving the quality of 4G/5G, noting that there were persistent issues, such as planning reforms and connectivity on trains, that the regulator and/or the Government are currently working on. Dawes also reassured Chi Onwurah MP (Chair, House of Commons Science, Innovation and Technology Select Committee) that Ofcom’s award of mmWave spectrum should help operators enhance network performance at St James’ Park – the home of Onwurah’s beloved Newcastle United. Dawes briefly touched on the recently announced BT/TalkTalk transaction, only to say that she was glad to see a commercial solution reached for an operator (TalkTalk) that had been in trouble for some time, with debt and no interested buyer. She added that the sale would help mitigate the risks an unmanaged liquidation could have for consumers, including around 55,000 telecare users.
