The Government has published its Final Statement of Strategic Priorities for Online Safety, setting out what it views as the priorities that Ofcom must take into account as it exercises its regulatory functions in relation to the Online Safety Act 2023.

Five priorities are identified:

1. Safety by design

The Statement outlines that it expects regulated providers to consider how to protect users online throughout their organisations, from the services they provide to the business models they employ. Whilst particular attention is paid to the need to include strong protections against potential harm suffered by children and more vulnerable members of society, the Statement also recognises the potential benefits of “additional protections from content which does not meet the bar for illegality but could still be harmful”.

2. Transparency and Accountability

The Government points out that “we cannot tackle online harms if we do not know what harms are occurring, where they are occurring, how frequently, and to whom”. It therefore wants to see a ‘culture of candour’ created through Ofcom’s transparency reporting regime, exposing practices that pose the greatest risks and highlighting best practices. Transparency and accountability should also be provided to users through, for example, clear and accessible Terms of Service and complaints systems.

3. Agile Regulation

Ofcom is encouraged to be “proactive in consulting on, and using the agility provided to it by the Act, to make relevant changes to guidance and codes” so that the regulatory regime keeps up with technological developments. This means, for example, working with international partners and continuing to build its evidence base on more recent developments like the proliferation of generative AI and deepfakes. The Government also stresses the need not to forget about the risks posed by ‘small but risky services’ and encourages Ofcom to keep its approach to such services under continual review.

4. Inclusivity and Resilience

The Government wants the internet to be “a place of respectful engagement, diverse voices and responsible content creation”. To that end, it encourages media literacy initiatives to help the public identify and protect against misinformation and disinformation, and to help parents and carers understand the risks posed to children.

5. Technology and innovation

Finally, the Government commits to working with Ofcom to identify ways to develop further technological tools to better protect users online, for example through the Online Safety Technology Lab, and the development of more effective age assurance technologies.

To read the Statement in full, click here.