British technology minister Liz Kendall has urged Ofcom to speed up enforcement of the Online Safety Act, warning that delays risk undermining protections for children, women and those facing antisemitic abuse. Ofcom says it will publish a register of firms requiring user verification around July — a year later than initially planned — citing a complex legal challenge. Wikimedia’s earlier court challenge was dismissed but could be revived if Wikipedia is classed as a Category 1 service. Critics say the law may overreach; supporters argue it compels platforms to better police harmful and illegal content.
UK Minister Urges Ofcom to Speed Up Online Safety Act Enforcement
British technology minister Liz Kendall has urged Ofcom to speed up enforcement of the Online Safety Act, warning that delays risk undermining protections for children, women and those facing antisemitic abuse. Ofcom says it will publish a register of firms requiring user verification around July — a year later than initially planned — citing a complex legal challenge. Wikimedia’s earlier court challenge was dismissed but could be revived if Wikipedia is classed as a Category 1 service. Critics say the law may overreach; supporters argue it compels platforms to better police harmful and illegal content.
02:21 AM, 11/13/2025Politics
UK minister urges Ofcom to speed up Online Safety Act enforcement
LONDON (Reuters) — British technology minister Liz Kendall has written to communications regulator Ofcom, urging it to accelerate enforcement of the Online Safety Act to better protect children, women and users targeted by antisemitic abuse. Kendall said she was "deeply concerned" that delays in implementing duties such as user empowerment could undermine efforts to shield vulnerable users from harmful content.
Ofcom has been phasing in the Online Safety Act, which places stricter obligations on major platforms including Facebook, YouTube, TikTok and X, as well as websites that host pornography. The law requires platforms to take measures to protect children and to remove illegal material.
The regulator said it now plans to publish a register categorising which firms will be required to verify users and face additional duties around July — a year later than its earlier timetable. An Ofcom spokesperson said the delay was caused by factors beyond its control, notably a legal challenge that raised "complex issues."
In August, the Wikimedia Foundation's legal challenge to parts of the law was dismissed by London's High Court, but the judge indicated the organisation could bring a fresh challenge if Ofcom classifies Wikipedia as a "Category 1" service — the highest risk tier under the new rules.
The legislation has drawn criticism from free-speech campaigners and some U.S. companies, who warn that broad enforcement risks curbing lawful content. Supporters counter that the Act forces platforms to take greater responsibility for user safety and the removal of illegal content.
Kendall said: "I remain deeply concerned that delays in implementing duties, such as user empowerment, could hinder our work to protect women and girls from harmful content and protect users from antisemitism."
(Reporting by Muvija M; Editing by Paul Sandle)