Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what assessment her Department has made of the likelihood of non-harmful websites being made inaccessible to users due to the effects of the Online Safety Act 2023.

Proportionality is a core principle of the Online Safety Act and is in-built into its duties. As online safety regulator, Ofcom must consider the size and risk level of different types of services when recommending steps providers can take to comply with their duties.

Ofcom is communicating with in scope services about the new regulations in the Act and is working with services to ensure compliance is as easy as possible. As noted in the Ofcom CEO’s letter of 8 July 2025 to the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, Ofcom is providing support to online service providers of all sizes to make it easier for them to understand – and comply with – their responsibilities under the new laws.