Question

To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what guidance her Department provides to (a) sole traders and (b) volunteer-run online services on the personal financial and legal liability they may face under the Online Safety Act 2023; and what steps her Department is taking to ensure enforcement against low-risk small services is proportionate.

Ofcom is providing support to small service providers to help them understand and comply with their responsibilities under the Online Safety Act.

In a July 2025 letter Ofcom’s CEO noted responsibility for regulating a wide range of services, including voluntary groups and individuals. The letter noted that Ofcom will take enforcement action only where it is proportionate and appropriate and will focus on cases where risk and impact of harm is highest. Ofcom has since set out its priorities for action in 2026-27.