Ofcom

We've set out the next steps in our investigation – and the limitations of the Online Safety Act in relation to AI chatbots.

It's important to note that enforcement investigations like this take time. We'll provide updates during this process. ⬇️

Update on investigation into X

We're progressing our investigation into X as a matter of urgency, using our powers to gather and analyse evidence to determine whether it has broken the law.

➡️ Read our update in full: www.ofcom.org.uk/online-safet...

Ofcom and IWF reinforce partnership in fight against child sexual abuse online A new agreement between Ofcom and the Internet Watch Foundation has strengthened the UK’s commitment to cracking down on online child sexual abuse imagery.

Our new memorandum of understanding with @ofcom.bsky.social builds on strong existing relationship and lays the groundwork for how we can assist Ofcom in its duties under the Online Safety Act.

Read more on our website. www.iwf.org.uk/news-media/n...

Musk's xAI curbs Grok image editing after California, Europe air concerns Elon Musk's artificial intelligence company xAI said late on Wednesday it imposed restrictions on all users of its Grok AI chatbot that limit image editing after the service produced sexualized images...

This is a welcome development. However, our formal investigation remains ongoing. We are working round the clock to progress this and get answers into what went wrong and what’s being done to fix it.

'Ofcom launches investigation into X over Grok sexualised imagery'

We've launched an investigation into X over Grok sexualised imagery.

We've opened a formal investigation into X under the Online Safety Act, to determine whether it has complied with its duties to protect people in the UK from content that is illegal in the UK.

🔗 www.ofcom.org.uk/online-safet...

📢 We've outlined how we plan to set fees and penalties under the Online Safety Act.

Tech firms will fund our work based on their qualifying worldwide revenue, just like in other sectors we regulate. Learn more about our approach here: www.ofcom.org.uk/online-safet...

'Nine new online safety investigations into 4chan, file-sharing services, and a porn provider'

🚨 9 new online safety investigations.

We're investigating whether 4chan, a porn provider and seven file-sharing services have failed to comply with their duties under the Online Safety Act.

🔗 Find out more: www.ofcom.org.uk/online-safet...

Consultation on change to broadcasting rules for ‘politicians as presenters’

We’re proposing a change to our broadcasting rules.

Under this change, politicians could still present programmes, but could not be a newsreader, news interviewer or news reporter in any type of programme, without exceptional editorial justification.

www.ofcom.org.uk/tv-radio-and...

'Top trends in UK media lives - our latest research on how people in the UK access, use, and perceive their online and media lives.'

Check out the latest trends for how people in the UK live their lives online:

🤖 AI is on the rise, but not trusted by all
🚫 Scams and fake profiles
📱 Smartphone use

Find out more here: www.ofcom.org.uk/media-use-an...

'New rules for a safer generation of children online. What changes will there be?'

🔒 Children in the UK will lead safer online lives as we've finalised safety measures for sites and apps to introduce from July.

Tech firms must act to prevent children from seeing harmful content, and meet their duties under the Online Safety Act

➡️ Read more: www.ofcom.org.uk/online-safet...

Ofcom proposals in response to BBC radio expansion plans

📻 We have reviewed BBC plans for new DAB+ radio stations.

We are proposing to:
✅ Green light new Radio 1 Dance, Radio 1 Anthems, and Radio 3 Unwind.
🟥 Deny plans for a new Radio 2 station and expanded Radio 5 Sports Extra.

More 🔗 www.ofcom.org.uk/tv-radio-and...

'Ofcom investigates online suicide forum'

We've launched an investigation into whether the provider of an online suicide forum has failed to comply with its duties under the Online Safety Act.

Read more here: www.ofcom.org.uk/online-safet...

'Platforms must now take action against illegal material online'.

🚨 From today, tech platforms must start tackling criminal content on their sites to protect their users.

This includes removing child sexual abuse material, fraud and illegal content encouraging suicide.

Read more 🔗 ofcom.org.uk/online-safet...

Text that says: "Women and girls face real risks online - and many tech companies are failing to act" and image of woman's reflection in cracked phone screen.

📢 We're calling on tech companies to make the online world safer for women and girls.

Our draft guidance - shaped by victims, survivors and safety experts - outlines key areas where platforms should do more.

➡️ Read more: www.ofcom.org.uk/online-safet...

Ofcom proposes changes to protect the postal service for the future

The universal postal service needs reform to remain sustainable. We propose:

📨 First class to still be delivered next day, six days a week.
📩 Second class delivered on alternate weekdays - within three days.
🚫 No Saturday deliveries for Second Class.

More 🔗 www.ofcom.org.uk/post/royal-m...

Hand holding phone and text that says: "Tired of scam calls?"

🚨 New blocking measures to protect people from 'spoof' calls.

Phone companies must now block overseas calls pretending to be from UK landlines, under our strengthened industry guidance.

Read more about our work to clamp down on scams: www.ofcom.org.uk/phones-and-b...

New small-scale DAB multiplex licences Arbroath, Carnoustie & Montrose Bridgwater Bromsgrove, Kidderminster & Redditch Cirencester Ely & March Enniskillen Exmouth & Dawlish Gloucester Lancaster Llanelli Loughborough & Coalville Malton Market Harborough Midlothian Moray Coast South Newark-on-Trent North Berkshire & South Oxfordshire North Norfolk North Somerset Oban Ringwood, Verwood & Fordingbridge Rugby & Daventry Stockton-on-Tees Wellingborough West Oxfordshire West Somerset & Lynton Western Isles Weston-super-Mare Worcester

📻 Applications for the latest round of small-scale DAB radio multiplexes are now open.

Small-scale DAB helps to bring more local radio to listeners across the UK, from grass-roots community services to specialist music stations.

Find out more here: www.ofcom.org.uk/tv-radio-and...

Ofcom launches digital safety toolkit for online services Ofcom has launched a digital toolkit to help businesses comply with new online safety rules.

🔎 Is your business in scope of the Online Safety Act?

We've launched our digital toolkit to help businesses comply with new online safety rules. 🛠️

Find out more: www.ofcom.org.uk/online-safet...

Stronger age checks to come into force for online pornography sites in UK Regulator Ofcom releases guidelines that call for use of face scans, credit cards checks or photo-ID Users accessing online pornography in the UK could soon be required to have their face scanned, under measures announced by Ofcom to stop children seeing…

Stronger age checks to come into force for online pornography sites in UK

White text on blue background with image of computer with pixelated screen. Text that reads: "Age checks to protect children from online porn."

Online services must introduce age checks to protect children from encountering porn.

Our new guidance sets out how we expect sites and apps to introduce highly effective age assurance, while protecting adults' privacy rights.

Find out more: www.ofcom.org.uk/online-safet...

How Ofcom deals with BBC complaints – what you need to know As the UK regulator responsible for overseeing content broadcast on TV, radio and video on-demand (VoD), Ofcom handles thousands of complaints from viewers and listeners every year, covering a range o...

This does not include complaints about BBC programmes, which are handled by the BBC in the first instances www.ofcom.org.uk/tv-radio-and...

Top 10 most complained about TV programmes 2024 Julia Hartley-Brewer, TalkTV, 3 January – 17,366 complaints Good Morning Britain, ITV1, 5 August – 16,851 complaints Love Island, ITV2, 24 July – 1,832 complaints Good Morning Britain, ITV1, 30 May – 1,777 complaints Emmerdale, ITV1, 27 and 28 May – 1,193 complaints Big Brother, ITV2, 7 November – 747 complaints Sunak v Starmer: The ITV Debate, ITV1, 4 June – 710 complaints Good Morning Britain, ITV1, 2 October – 705 complaints This Morning, ITV1, 28 May – 647 complaints Big Brother, ITV2, 22 October – 553 complaints

📢 Top 10 most complained-about TV shows of 2024 revealed.

In 2024 we received over 69K complaints about 9K cases, with the top 10 accounting for 61% of all complaints.

Find out more 🔗 www.ofcom.org.uk/tv-radio-and...

"For too long, sites and apps have been unregulated, unaccountable and unwilling to prioritise people’s safety over profits. That changes from today. The safety spotlight is now firmly on tech firms and it’s time for them to act. Those that come up short can expect Ofcom to use the full extent of our enforcement powers against them. " Melanie Dawes, Ofcom CEO

Platforms have until March 2025 to conduct risk assessments for their sites and must then start implementing these measures.

We won’t hesitate to use the full extent of our enforcement powers if they fall short.

🔗 Find out more: www.ofcom.org.uk/online-safet...

The Online Safety Act has come into force. Tech firms now have new legal duties to protect people from illegal harms online.

🚨 A major milestone in online safety.

Sites and apps must now start taking action to protect people from illegal harm online.

Key measures include:
🔒 Senior accountability for safety
🛠️ Improved content moderation and reporting systems
🛡️ Protecting children from abuse

Red post box on a blue background, with the words 'Royal Mail fined £10.5m'

We've fined Royal Mail £10.5m for failing to meet its delivery targets in 2023/24.

74.7% of First Class mail and 92.7% of Second Class was delivered on time, well short of its target of 93% and 98.5%.

🔗 Read more: www.ofcom.org.uk/post/royal-m...

Thanks for spotting and apologies for that. We've corrected it and reposted.

A bar graph and pie chart showing social tariff take-up by provider in Q2 2024. Bar graph: Title: Social tariff take-up Y-axis: Number of homes X-axis: Quarter Data: Q2 2022: 80,000 homes Q2 2023: 311,000 homes Q2 2024: 506,000 homes Pie chart: Title: Q2 2024 take-up, by provider Data: BT: 63% Sky: 18% Vodafone: 7% Virgin Media: 5% Shell Energy 4% KCOM: 1% Others (inc. mobile): 2% Additional notes: An illustration of a smartphone and a router is included in the bar graph.

Social tariff take-up surges to over 500,000, offering broadband and mobile customers savings of up to £220 a year.

But our new research shows millions of eligible UK households are unaware and missing out on these deals.

Find out more: 🔗 www.ofcom.org.uk/phones-and-b...

Seasonal scams to watch out for At this time of year it pays to be extra vigilant when it comes to scams. So, we wanted to remind you of a few common scams to watch out for, to help you avoid falling victim.

At this time of year, be extra vigilant about scams:

🛍️ Online shopping scams could see you parted from your money.
📦 Beware of dodgy parcel delivery messages.
🚗 Parking scams are rife – be careful when using car parks.

Find out more: www.ofcom.org.uk/phones-and-b...

Animated image of a satellite transmitting signals to Earth with the headline: Satellite broadband connections have more than doubled in the last year.

Our latest data shows a sharp rise in UK homes taking up satellite broadband to keep connected.

87,000 homes, mainly in rural areas, now use satellite services – up from 42,000 last year.

Read for more: www.ofcom.org.uk/phones-and-b...

Map showing percentage of UK properties with access to different broadband speeds: Gigabit-capable (83%), Full Fibre (69%), Superfast (98%), Unable to get decent broadband (0.2%). Scotland: Gigabit-capable (77%), Full Fibre (62%), Superfast (96%), Unable to get decent (0.5%). Northern Ireland: Gigabit-capable (94%), Full Fibre (93%), Superfast (98%), Unable to get decent (0.2%). Wales: Gigabit-capable (74%), Full Fibre (68%), Superfast (96%), Unable to get decent (0.5%). England: Gigabit-capable (84%), Full Fibre (69%), Superfast (98%), Unable to get decent (0.1%).

Our new figures on the UK's broadband and mobile coverage are out. They reveal:

🛜 More than 20 million homes can now get full-fibre broadband.
⚡Average max download speeds now 223 Mbit/s.
📱5G coverage rises, but most mobile traffic still on 4G.

Read for more: www.ofcom.org.uk/phones-and-b...