UK to Tweak Social Media Rules in Response to Summer Riots
- Ofcom released first guidelines for Online Safety Act
- Rules require firms to remove illegal content or face fines
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The UK plans to extend its rules against illegal material online to cover how social media companies respond to crises like the recent riots in the country, according to a statement from British regulator Ofcom on Monday.
The agency released its first guidelines for the Online Safety Act, a law passed in 2023 to govern illegal material on internet platforms. In the release, Ofcom said it is planning additional measures for next spring that include new proposals for removing material tied to child sexual abuse and terrorism. It will also introduce “crisis response protocols for emergency events.”