Ofcom has published an update outlining progress and forthcoming actions to implement the Online Safety Act 2023. Ofcom confirmed completion of key elements of the regime, including codes on illegal harms and child protection, age assurance guidance, and frameworks for fees, super-complaints, and transparency reporting. It set out remaining deliverables through 2027, including guidance on women and girls’ online safety by November 2025, consultation on disclosure of deceased child users’ data in December 2025, and introduction of the fees regime by the end of 2025. From 2026, Ofcom will issue guidance on super-complaints and technology notices, publish media literacy recommendations, consult on categorisation thresholds and additional duties for categorised services, commence transparency reporting, and deliver statutory reports on age assurance, harmful content to children, and app stores. The update also confirmed plans to incorporate new priority offences, such as serious self-harm encouragement, cyberflashing, and harmful pornographic content, as soon as practicable.

Ofcom has updated its roadmap for implementing the Online Safety Act 2023 (OSA 2023) and published its online safety priorities for 2026-27. The updated roadmap outlines upcoming implementation milestones under the OSA 2023, including final guidance on Technology Notices and a decision on ‘hash-matching’ measures relating to non-consensual intimate images, both expected in May 2026.

Ofcom has published updated guidance on politicians presenting news programmes, following a consultation and High Court judgment in R (on the application of GB News Limited) v Ofcom. Rather than amending Broadcasting Code Rule 5.3 as originally proposed, Ofcom updated guidance clarifying the interaction between due impartiality requirements (Rule 5.1) and restrictions on politicians presenting news (Rule 5.3). The guidance updates the definition of 'politician' and clarifies that Rule 5.3 applies only to news programmes, while politicians presenting news content in non-news programmes are regulated under Rule 5.1's impartiality requirements.

TMT analysis: The High Court (Mr Justice Jay) has ruled in favour of Ofcom in its claim to recover £300,000 in financial penalties from Star China Media Limited (Star China) for serious and repeated breaches of the fairness and privacy rules in the Ofcom Broadcasting Code (Broadcasting Code). The penalties related to programmes broadcasting footage of individuals detained by Chinese authorities appearing to make voluntary confessions to crimes when there were substantial grounds to doubt this was the case. The court rejected Star China’s defensive arguments, including arguments that the penalties were disproportionate and incompatible with Article 10 of the European Convention of Human Rights (ECHR). Written by Paul Maalo, associate; Tiffany Dale, senior associate; and Sarah MacDonald, partner at Wiggin LLP.

Ofcom has written a further letter to the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT) on its preparations to deliver the expanded social media restrictions for children. Ofcom says it is ready to implement the planned social media ban and restrictions on dangerous functionalities as a priority, but urges the government to make regulations clear and specific. Ofcom will deliver a technical assessment of highly effective age assurance at age 16 by the end of October 2026. Ofcom's initial observations are that age assurance at age 16 should be technically feasible, but practical challenges remain. Ofcom will also consider whether changes are needed to existing online safety Codes and enforcement in light of the ban.

Ofcom has written to online platforms ahead of the FIFA World Cup 2026 to remind them of their duties under the Online Safety Act 2023 (OSA 2023) to protect sportspeople, officials, coaches and pundits from illegal online hate, abuse, threats and harassment. Ofcom highlighted evidence from previous tournaments showing heightened levels of online abuse, particularly targeting Black and minority ethnic individuals and people on the basis of perceived sexual orientation or disability, and noted that FIFA’s research identified England’s 2022 World Cup quarter-final against France as the tournament match associated with the highest spike in online abuse directed at players. Ofcom stated that providers must assess and mitigate the risk of users encountering illegal content, remove illegal content when aware of it, and ensure measures such as adequately resourced moderation teams, accessible reporting systems, user blocking and muting functions, staff training, performance targets for content removal, and senior-level accountability for compliance. It also reminded services that additional duties apply where children can access their platforms. Ofcom further highlighted a partnership established in February 2026 with the UK Football Policing Unit and major football bodies to share information on online abuse and support preventative and investigative action, and warned that it will scrutinise platforms’ compliance with their legal obligations during the World Cup and take action where necessary.

TMT analysis: On 17 March 2026, Ofcom (Britain’s communications regulator) published its Telecoms Access Review 2026-31 (TAR 2026). The TAR 2026 sets out the regulatory framework for the UK’s fixed telecoms markets for the next five years and builds on the prior 2021 Wholesale Fixed Telecoms Market Review (WFTMR 2021). Written by Mark Maurice, partner; Oliver Stacey, partner; Sarah Esprit, associate.

TMT analysis: Ofcom has published its second major consultation on the Online Safety Act (OSA 2023) focusing on protecting children from harms online. Under the OSA 2023, user-to-user and search services likely to be accessed by children have safety duties relating to content that is harmful to them. Debbie Heywood of Taylor Wessing considers what is covered by the consultation, proposed safety measures, next steps as well as what in-scope services should do now.

TMT analysis: In October 2023, Ofcom released revised guidance on the application of net neutrality rules in the UK following a review in response to a period of significant change since Assimilated Regulation (EU) 2015/2120 was first introduced. Matt Suter, a senior associate in the Osborne Clarke Telecoms team, assisted by Alex Goodchild, trainee solicitor at Osborne Clarke, provide comment on Ofcom’s review, the key changes to the guidance, zero-rating and Ofcom’s position on this, and practical considerations for UK telecoms providers.

TMT analysis: The Court of Appeal has allowed Ofcom’s appeal against a Competition Appeal Tribunal (CAT) costs decision. The CAT had ordered Ofcom to pay 50% of BT’s costs following BT’s successful appeal against Ofcom’s 2016 Business Connectivity Market Review. However, the Court of Appeal held that the CAT had erred in taking the starting point as costs following the event, as no such presumption should be applied in these types of cases. The court also held that previous authorities decided in this way by the CAT had been wrongly decided because they had been based on an incorrect premise.

Property Disputes analysis: Damian Hyndman, partner in the litigation and dispute management group at Eversheds Sutherland, points out that central to the purpose of Ofcom’s final code of practice is the maintenance of good communications between operators and landowners in order to facilitate effective working relationships.

The intentional use of an authorised medicinal product outside the terms of its authorisation'>marketing authorisation (e.g. for a different indication, different dose or in a different patient population). It is considered off-label use of a medical device if the device is used differently from how the manufacturer has instructed.