Ofcom has introduced new blocking requirements for phone providers to block scam calls from abroad that imitate UK landline numbers, effective from 29 January 2025. Under the strengthened industry guidance, providers must identify and block all calls from overseas that falsely display a UK landline telephone number as a 'Presentation Number,' except in limited legitimate cases. This measure builds upon a previous requirement to block calls using UK numbers as 'Network Numbers.' BT's voluntary implementation of these measures has already prevented up to one million calls per day within the first month. Ofcom is continuing its work on tackling spoofed mobile numbers and expects to publish proposed next steps later in 2025. These efforts are part of a broader initiative involving the police, other regulators, and the telecoms industry to protect consumers from scams. The new guidance aims to combat a common scam tactic where fraudsters spoof UK phone numbers to appear as trusted entities, increasing the likelihood of victims answering the calls.

Ofcom has launched an investigation into Duplanto Ltd to examine whether the provider has failed, or is failing, to comply with its duties under section 12 of the Online Safety Act 2023 to prevent children from encountering pornographic content through the use of highly effective age assurance. The investigation, opened on 30 July 2025, concerns the adult site pornhaven.ai and forms part of Ofcom’s enforcement programme focused on protecting children online. Ofcom will assess whether there are reasonable grounds to believe the provider is non-compliant and will follow the procedural steps outlined in its Online Safety Enforcement Guidance.

Ofcom has opened an investigation into whether Meta Platforms Inc failed to carry out suitable and sufficient illegal content and children’s risk assessments before launching Instagram Instants on 13 May 2026. The investigation, opened on 6 October 2026, concerns Meta’s compliance with sections 9(4) and 11(4) of the Online Safety Act 2023 (OSA 2023). These provisions require providers to carry out further risk assessments before making significant changes to a service’s design or operation, addressing the potential impact of those changes.

Ofcom has launched an investigation into Novi Ltd to assess compliance with age-assurance requirements under the Online Safety Act 2023 (OSA 2023) in relation to its AI character companion chatbot service. Separately, Ofcom has confirmed that Snapchat has significantly improved its illegal content risk assessment following enforcement action.

Ofcom has opened an investigation into whether TikTok Information Technologies UK Limited has failed, or is failing, to comply with its duties under section 12 of the Online Safety Act 2023 to protect children from encountering harmful content. The investigation follows Ofcom’s review of the steps taken by major platforms to protect children online, together with its Children’s online experiences report and Age Assurance report.

Ofcom has published its Protection of Children Codes and related guidance on 4 July 2025, requiring providers of online services likely accessed by UK children to mitigate harmful content. Services must complete children’s risk assessments by 24 July 2025, with mandatory compliance from 25 July 2025. Ofcom has warned it will enforce the rules if providers fail to act, aiming to ensure safer digital spaces for children. We welcome stakeholder comments on these proposals by 5 PM on 22 July 2025.

The Office of Communications (Ofcom) has fined Itai Tech Ltd, operator of the nudification site Undress.cc, £50,000 for failing to implement age verification measures required under the Online Safety Act 2023, and an additional £5,000 for non-compliance with statutory information requests. Ofcom has also launched investigations into five more providers operating 20 pornography sites and issued provisional decisions against two additional companies, bringing the total number of sites under investigation to 76. The enforcement action forms part of Ofcom’s wider effort to target services that have failed to apply 'highly effective' age assurance measures designed to prevent children from accessing pornographic content.

Ofcom has published new Protection of Children Codes of Practice and guidance on 24 April 2025, detailing mandatory age assurance requirements for online services allowing pornographic content. From 25 July 2025, affected services must implement 'highly effective age assurance' measures to prevent under-18s from accessing such content. The requirements apply to services within scope of the Online Safety Act 2023, with Ofcom sending notification letters to hundreds of services whose primary purpose is hosting pornographic material.

The Office of Communications (Ofcom) has issued legally binding notices to over 40 technology platforms under the Online Safety Act, requesting more than 70 risk assessments. These notices, sent to 30 providers covering 43 services, require submission of second-year illegal harms and children’s risk assessments by 31 July 2026. Under the Online Safety Act, companies must assess and mitigate the risks of UK users encountering illegal content, while platforms likely accessed by children must also evaluate the risks of under-18s being exposed to harmful material. Ofcom possesses enforcement powers to ensure compliance and has previously issued fines for inadequate responses to formal information requests. The upcoming responses will be used to identify gaps in current assessments and drive further improvements across the industry.

Ofcom has issued a provisional notice of contravention to Itai Tech Ltd on 17 September 2025 for alleged breaches of the Online Safety Act 2023 (OSA 2023). The notice follows an investigation launched on 9 May 2025 and cites failures to implement effective age verification measures for pornographic content under OSA 2023, s 81, as well as non-compliance with OSA 2023, s 102(8), for failing to respond to a statutory information request issued during the investigation. Itai Tech has 20 working days to make representations before Ofcom reaches its final decision.

Ofcom published a statement outlining its approach to implementing Media Act 2024 changes to the production quota framework for public service broadcasters (PSBs). The changes now allow PSBs to use on-demand services to meet quota obligations for the first time, convert quota proportions into absolute hours and spending, and establish specific targets for original and regional production quotas. In addition, Ofcom will issue new guidance on which programmes count toward original production quotas and will update the guidance for regional productions. These changes apply to channels three, four, and five, as well as S4C and the BBC where relevant.

The Office of Communications (Ofcom) has issued a comprehensive update on its enforcement activities under the Online Safety Act, outlining five enforcement programmes and 21 investigations into 69 sites and apps since March 2025, with updates provided on 11 investigations. Ofcom fined 4chan £20,000 for failing to comply with statutory information requests and will also impose daily penalties of £100 until the requested information is provided.