Ofcom has called for views on a review of the BBC Three television channel, to ensure fair and effective competition is protected, after the BBC had proposed to launch BBC Three as a television channel in January 2022 and the proposal had passed the public interest test. Ofcom has indicated that it must examine whether the BBC is making any significant changes to its TV services and how this could affect stakeholders. The consultation closes on 8 July 2021.

Ofcom has issued a public stakeholder engagement notice seeking views from civil society organisations, stakeholders and the public on the information that service providers should include in transparency reports under the Online Safety Act 2023 (OSA 2023). The engagement follows its Final Transparency Guidance published in July 2025 and will inform the development of transparency notices, with reference to matters set out in Schedule 8 to the OSA 2023. Ofcom notes that it is currently developing these notices and intends to begin issuing draft notices to providers of categorised services after publication of the Register of Categorised Services in summer 2026. Responses are sought by 30 April 2026.

The Office of Communications (Ofcom) has published recommendations for strengthening Public Service Media (PSM) following its December 2024 assessment of Public Service Broadcasters (PSBs). However, the report highlights that the rapidly evolving UK media landscape, dominated by global tech platforms offering hyper-personalised content, is reshaping how audiences discover and consume media, thereby presenting significant challenges. Ofcom's six-point plan addresses content prominence on platforms like YouTube, sustainable funding mechanisms, TV distribution infrastructure, PSB partnerships, media literacy, and regulatory modernisation. The recommendations follow Ofcom's statutory five-year review which concluded that PSBs—including BBC, ITV, channel 4, channel 5, STV and S4C—had fulfilled their broadcasting purposes during 2019–2023.

Ofcom has signed a joint statement with telecommunications regulators from the United States, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand, establishing a framework for enhanced international cooperation in response to evolving threats in the telecommunications sector. The statement, agreed on 6 November 2025, commits the five nations to regular annual convenings for information exchange on global security challenges, emerging threats, and regulatory developments. The signatories have agreed to enhanced cooperation on network reliability, integrity and security, including efforts to prevent exploitation of telecom resources such as Global Titles. The framework includes information sharing on emerging threats and fraud techniques, such as SMS blasters, and risks arising from artificial intelligence use in telecommunications. The parties will promote best practices in network defence, including cooperation on international standards relating to Privileged Access Workstations and collaboration on supply chain security for critical telecommunications infrastructure, including subsea cable infrastructure and radio frequency devices. The agreement aims to explore harmonisation opportunities and coordinated regulatory approaches to reduce regulatory friction and ensure secure networks.

Ofcom has published a statement on 22 April 2025 implementing new rules on Global Titles and mobile network security. The measures ban mobile operators from leasing Global Titles to third parties and prohibit third parties from creating Global Titles from sub-allocated numbers. The rules take immediate effect for new arrangements, with existing arrangements required to cease by 22 April 2026. Some specific use cases receive an extended transition period until 22 October 2026. The statement also introduces new guidance for number range holders on preventing misuse of Global Titles and strengthens rules against unauthorized creation and use.

Ofcom has published a statement implementing a new duty under the Media Act 2024 (MA 2024), which requires local and national digital radio multiplex operators to publish information about the charges radio stations can expect to pay for carriage on their multiplexes. Following a consultation and consideration of stakeholder responses, Ofcom decided that operators must publish and maintain up-to-date rate cards on their websites showing indicative carriage charges. Ofcom concluded that this approach will improve transparency for community, local and national radio stations when negotiating access to multiplex capacity while preserving commercial flexibility. In response to consultation feedback, Ofcom amended the licence condition to clarify that published prices are indicative rather than fixed and must be available on operators’ websites. It rejected proposals for more prescriptive pricing requirements or routine reporting of actual fees, considering these unnecessary and disproportionate given existing safeguards and information-gathering powers. Ofcom assessed the compliance costs as modest and proportionate and will vary existing licences accordingly, with the new requirement expected to take effect from 1 June 2027.

Ofcom has announced that it is strengthening its Illegal Content Codes by recommending that certain online platforms use automated 'hash-matching' technology to detect and reduce the spread of illegal intimate images shared without consent, including explicit deepfakes. Ofcom stated that the measure is intended to improve protections for women and girls online by identifying known illegal intimate images through digital fingerprints stored in databases such as StopNCII. The recommendation will apply to high-risk pornography, file-sharing and file-storage services, platforms with more than 700,000 monthly active UK users, large user-to-user services assessed as medium or high risk for intimate image abuse, and large general search services. Ofcom further stated that providers should use perceptual hash matching where possible, or cryptographic hash matching for certain video content, and should regularly review the accuracy and effectiveness of these systems, including the use of human review where appropriate for moderation and quality assurance.

Ofcom has introduced new crisis response measures into its Illegal Content Codes of Practice and Protection of Children Codes of Practice, requiring certain online platforms to prepare for and respond to exceptional events that pose a serious threat to public safety in the UK. The measures require in-scope providers to maintain crisis response protocols to manage significant increases in illegal content and content harmful to children, deploy crisis response teams where necessary, conduct post-crisis reviews, and, for larger platforms, establish dedicated communication channels with law enforcement.

Ofcom has published strengthened protections and updated guidance under the Online Safety Act 2023 following the December 2025 introduction of new priority offences relating to encouraging or assisting serious self-harm and cyberflashing. The new measures require providers of regulated services to review and update their illegal content risk assessments to consider these new categories of illegal harm, assign an overall risk level for suicide and self-harm, separately assess the risks associated with cyberflashing and implement appropriate safety measures to mitigate identified risks. To support these changes, Ofcom has revised the Risk Assessment Guidance and Risk Profiles, the Illegal Harms Register of Risks, the Illegal Content Judgements Guidance and the Record Keeping and Review Guidance.

Ofcom has announced that it will take over the regulation of premium rate services (PRS) from the Phone-paid Services Authority (PSA) on 1 February 2025. This transition is part of a strategic response to significant changes in the PRS market, such as the decline of legacy services and the emergence of offerings from global tech platforms. Ofcom will withdraw approval of the PSA’s existing Code of Practice (Code 15) and replace it with its own PRS Order, which will retain essential consumer protection principles while enhancing transparency, fairness, and the safeguarding of vulnerable consumers. Additionally, Ofcom is consulting on proposals to amend its General Conditions C2.11 and C2.12 to reflect these regulatory changes, inviting feedback by 25 November 2024.

Ofcom has published an update to its Digital Markets Strategy, outlining new areas of focus and recent developments in digital regulation. The regulator has completed a market study on cloud services under the Enterprise Act 2002 and examined the role of connected TV platforms as digital content gateways.

Ofcom has published its statement on revised General Procedures for investigating broadcast licence breaches, following a consultation that closed on 25 February 2025. The updated procedures introduce a new administrative priorities framework, modify complaint information sharing with broadcasters, end direct notification to complainants about assessment outcomes, and establish time limits for complaints. These changes represent the first update to the procedures since April 2017 and aim to address developments in broadcast regulation and increased caseload volumes. The statement also includes structural simplifications to enhance procedural clarity.