A Primer on the UK Online Safety Act - Key aspects of the new law and its road to implementation

Abstract

The Online Safety Act (OSA) has now become law, marking a significant milestone in platform regulation in the United Kingdom. The OSA introduces fresh obligations for technology firms to address illegal online content and activities, covering child sexual exploitation, fraud, and terrorism, adding the UK to the array of jurisdictions that have recently introduced new online safety and platform accountability regulations. However, the OSA is notably short on specifics. In this post, we dissect key aspects of the OSA structure and draw comparisons with similar legislation, including the EU Digital Services Act (DSA).

Keywords

• Digital Services Act
• DSA
• Online Safety Act
• Platform Governance
• Platform Regulation
• Social Media