Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, when regulated online service providers will be required to pre screen for known child sexual abuse material, in the context of the recommendations of the Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse.

The Online Safety Act contains provisions to address the Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse’s recommendation. Under Section 121 of the Act, Ofcom has the power, where necessary and proportionate, to require regulated services to use accredited technology to detect and remove child sexual exploitation and abuse content, including in private or encrypted channels.

Ofcom will be able to issue a tech notice once minimum standards for accredited technologies have been published and its accreditation scheme is in place. It will publish advice on minimum standards to the Secretary of State by April 2026.