Changing What Children See Online: June 2025 Update
June 2025 has marked a pivotal moment in the UK’s legal landscape for online child safety, as the implementation of the Online Safety Act (OSA) accelerates and new obligations for tech companies come into force.
Key Legal Developments in June
Final Countdown to Children’s Risk Assessments:
All online services likely to be accessed by children—such as social media, messaging platforms, gaming sites, and search engines—have been given until 24 July 2025 to complete a comprehensive children’s risk assessment. This process, mandated by Ofcom, requires platforms to identify the risks their services pose to children and determine the steps needed to manage those risks.
Protection of Children Codes Published:
Ofcom published its Protection of Children Codes in April, setting out over 40 practical legal measures that platforms must implement to keep children safe. These include robust age checks, safer algorithms, effective content moderation, user reporting and complaint systems, and clear terms of service. Services must either follow these Codes or demonstrate that their alternative measures are equally effective.
Mandatory Age Assurance for Pornographic Content:
From 25 July 2025, all platforms that allow access to pornography must have “highly effective age assurance” in place to prevent children from accessing such content. Over 1,300 publishers of pornography have already committed to introducing these systems.
Enforcement and Investigations:
Ofcom has launched its first investigations and enforcement actions under the new regime, targeting platforms that are slow to adopt the required safety measures. This signals a shift from voluntary compliance to active legal enforcement.
Repeal of Previous VSP Regulations:
Shortly after 25 July, the UK’s previous Video Sharing Platform (VSP) regulations will be repealed, and all in-scope services will fall fully under the OSA, ending the transition period.
Support Tools for Compliance:
Ofcom has released a digital toolkit to help regulated organisations understand and meet their new legal duties. This toolkit provides step-by-step guidance and tailored compliance checklists for platforms.
Industry Engagement and Guidance:
On 4 June, Ofcom hosted a major online event to explain the new legal duties, risk assessment processes, and compliance requirements to industry stakeholders.
What This Means for Children and Families
These legal changes are designed to transform the online landscape for UK children, making harmful content less accessible and ensuring that tech companies put child safety at the heart of their operations. From July, parents can expect to see more robust age checks, safer default settings, and improved reporting tools on the platforms their children use.
Looking Ahead
The next few weeks are critical as the legal deadlines approach. Ofcom will continue to monitor compliance, investigate breaches, and update its guidance as the new regime beds in. These legal steps represent the most significant online child protection reforms in UK history, with the promise of a safer digital future for young people.
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