The House of Lords’ Communications and Digital Committee has launched an inquiry into the implementation, enforcement, and impact of the Online Safety Act 2023.
Explaining the motivation behind the inquiry, the Committee points to “serious concerns” that the UK’s online safety regime is ineffective in its current form and that online services and tech companies are not being sufficiently held to account as online harms proliferate.
It is a sentiment shared by England’s Children’s Commissioner, Dame Rachel de Souza, who, despite welcoming the Act in principle, told the Committee during the first evidence session of the inquiry that its implementation had not been effective enough, had been too reactive, and had concentrated too heavily on content rather than the underlying features and systems of online platforms. She also added that children feel that the Act has made no difference to them.
The inquiry will not only examine Ofcom’s role in implementing and enforcing the Act, but also whether the legislation itself needs to be amended to improve online safety and ensure that it can adapt to tackle new harms that emerge in the future.
The Committee invites written submissions on a range of matters, including:
- Whether the Act’s provisions have been effective in encouraging services to make meaningful changes to their systems, processes, and design features;
- What unintended consequences have arisen, particularly in relation to freedom of expression, privacy, and accessibility;
- What changes are needed to improve Ofcom’s effectiveness in implementing the Act and carrying out its duties; and
- Whether changes need to be made to the Act or the online safety framework more broadly to improve their effectiveness and ensure they remain fit for the future.
Submissions are due by 21 September 2026. To read more, click here.