21
Rejected
Create an additional regulatory category for 'small but risky' platforms, based on their online harms.
Conclusion
The Online Safety Act does not do enough to address the risks posed by small platforms due to its exclusive focus on size. Ofcom should create an additional category to cover ‘small but risky’ platforms, based on analysis of the role that harmful smaller platforms can play in the online ecosystem, interacting with the recommendation algorithms of large platforms to spread harms such as misinformation, and disinformation campaigns. This regulation of small platforms should be in line with our Principles 1, 3 and 5. (Recommendation, Paragraph 55) 56
Government Response Summary
The government rejects the recommendation to create a new category for 'small but risky' platforms, stating they disagree that the Online Safety Act (OSA) is insufficient. They assert that the OSA's main measures already apply to such services, and a dedicated taskforce is actively driving compliance among high-risk smaller services.
Government Response
Rejected
Government Response
Rejected
HM Government
Rejected
We disagree that the OSA does not do enough to address the risks posed by small platforms. The main measures in the OSA apply to all services in scope, including small but risky services. Since 17 March, all services in scope of the OSA need to have safety measures in place to address illegal content and conduct. The Illegal Harms Codes of Practice specify that all services need to remove illegal content swiftly, have effective complaints systems, and a named senior person accountable for compliance. The codes require riskier firms to do more – regardless of their size. All services, regardless of size, that allow pornography or other harmful content (such as suicide, self-harm and eating disorder content), have to use highly effective age assurance (HEAA) to prevent children from encountering it. Last year we established a taskforce to drive compliance on small but risky services. These services, despite having relatively low reach, pose unacceptable risks to user safety, because of their features, functionalities and/or user behaviours, including pro-suicide forums and file sharing services dedicated to uploading child sexual abuse material (CSAM). The taskforce’s work includes building a robust evidence base of harm through triaging complaints, analysing industry data, assessing law enforcement intelligence, understanding businesses models, and analysing the role individual small services play in the wider network of services where harm happens. To date, the taskforce has engaged with more than thirty of the highest risk services, and will be expanding to take on additional high-risk services, leading to improvements in protection. While the committee’s recommendation to create a new category of service is a matter for Government, we do not think that an additional category would add significantly to our ability to regulate small risky services within the framework of the existing legislation.
Source
Report
2nd Report – Social media, misinformation and harmful algorithms
11 Jul 2025
HC 441
Addressee Bodies
Department for Science, Innovation and Technology
Timeline
Recommendation age
0.9 yr
Report published
11 Jul 2025