Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what steps she is taking to ensure that Ofcom is adequately resourced to (a) monitor and (b) regulate the algorithms of online platforms.

Ofcom’s online safety budget and expert team ensure its duties are performed effectively. Ofcom has spent approximately £281.3 million on online safety since 2020, including a projected spend of £92 million for 2025/26.

As part of its information gathering powers, Ofcom can remotely view information about a service’s processes, including conducting tests of algorithmic systems. Ofcom also has the power to seek information from categorised services about the design and operation of their algorithms in annual transparency reports.