Ofcom warns tech giants of tough measures under Online Safety Act

Regulator says its prepared to take ‘strong action’

Ofcom, the UK’s telecom and media regulator, has issued a warning to major tech companies, urging them to get their content moderation policies in order before the new Online Safety Act takes full effect.

Speaking to the Financial Times, Ofcom's Chief Executive Melanie Dawes emphasised that the regulator is prepared to take “strong action” against platforms that fail to meet the requirements of the new legislation.

The Online Safety Act, which received Royal Assent in October 2023, will come into full force next year, requiring websites and social media platforms to tighten their moderation practices and swiftly remove illegal content.

“We’ve got some pretty strong powers here,” Dawes told the Financial Times. She stressed that the regulator is preparing to enforce the new laws quickly once they are in effect. "There will be some websites who we need to take strong action against, and we’re gearing up for that now so that we can be really fast," Dawes added.

Ofcom will have the authority to impose fines on non-compliant platforms and, in extreme cases, even shut down offending websites. Dawes was very clear about the likelihood of Ofcom using the enforcement mechanisms it has available: “We will absolutely be prepared to use them,” she said.

Musk vs UK Government

The warning comes amidst an ongoing clash between Elon Musk’s social media platform, X (formerly Twitter), and the UK government over content moderation and free speech.

X, along with Telegram, has faced criticism for its slow response to harmful material and for facilitating the spread of misinformation. Musk himself has been known to share posts containing false information to his millions of followers and has publicly criticised the UK government’s efforts to crack down on hate speech and violent content on multiple occasions.

In August, Ofcom had already urged social media platforms to take immediate action to curb posts that incite violence or spread misinformation. The government also hinted it may revisit aspects of the Online Safety Act to address ongoing concerns.

When asked specifically about the impact on X, Dawes said Ofcom will ensure the platform adheres to the new regulations. “We’ll make sure that X follows the rules set down in the Act… and that action needs to take place next year,” she confirmed.