Ofcom has set out a series of proposals for ‘additional safety measures’ as part of its most recent consultation launched to strengthen the protections contained in the Online Safety Act (the Act).
The Act places duties on providers of user-to-user or search engine services to identify, mitigate and manage the risk from illegal content and content that is harmful to children. Under the Act, Ofcom is required to issue Codes of Practice, which contain measures recommended for service providers to comply with their duties.
Since March 2025, regulated service providers have been subject to enforceable duties to prevent illegal content, with children’s safety codes due to come into force in July. This latest consultation marks Phase 3 of Ofcom’s roadmap, focusing on the design and use of proactive technologies to prevent harms before users report them. It focuses on three main areas: (1) stopping illegal content going viral; (2) tackling harms at source; and (3) affording further protections to children.
Ofcom has indicated that the consultation is not about new duties but about assisting providers to understand what existing duties require in the light of new threats and developing technological capabilities. Service providers and other interested groups have until 20 October 2025 to respond.
Stopping illegal content going viral
Under the proposals, platforms must address how their recommender systems and search algorithms may amplify illegal content. Measures include requiring platforms to make sure illegal content is excluded from the users’ suggested feed and introducing pre-moderation filters for trending content.
The consultation also addresses spikes in illegal content during periods of crisis, for example, during the riots that followed the recent Southport attacks. Proposals include better user protection and reporting during crisis, particularly around livestreams.
Providers of large services would also be required to introduce rapid crisis response protocols, for example during riots or emergencies, including providing a dedicated channel for police to contact them relating to crisis-related issues.
Tackling harms at source
This section of the consultation emphasises more systematic use of automated tools to detect known illegal content. For example, providers should deploy the use of hash-matching – a technique used to identify known intimate abuse and terrorism material by comparing its digital fingerprint against a database of known content, enabling its swift removal.
It is also proposed that some providers be required to go further in assessing the role that AI tools (including AI classifiers and keyword detection) can play in detecting a wider range of illegal and harmful content relating to fraud, incitement to violence and self-harm, and other material.
Affording further protections to children
For services likely to be accessed by children, Ofcom proposes stronger age assurance processes and specific safeguards for live streaming, such as disabling comments or user interaction where the streamer is a child.
To mitigate the wider use of age assurance the proposals include a set of principles providers should have regard to when implementing an age assurance process, such as including an appeals process against age assurance decisions and taking action where these challenges are upheld.
It is also proposed that any user who shares child sexual abuse material is banned from using the platform even when the content is not directly re-uploaded. All platforms should apply a sanctions policy in respect of any user who shares illegal content, with larger platforms required to set and record performance targets for content moderation.
Next Steps
The consultation represents a key part of Ofcom’s “Year of Action” to ensure the Codes remain relevant as online risks evolve and develop. Ofcom will analyse feedback and publish revised guidance likely in early 2026.