The UK Online Safety Act comes into force today, 17th March 2025. It promises to make the internet a safer place, especially for children, by forcing tech companies to take responsibility for harmful content. But will it work? And what does it mean for parents, teachers, and young people?

A tragic reminder: the case of Molly Russell

One of the heartbreaking cases that fuelled the push for stronger online safety laws in the UK was that of Molly Russell, a 14-year-old who tragically took her own life in 2017 after being exposed to disturbing self-harm content on social media. Her father, Ian Russell, has been a tireless campaigner for online safety, highlighting the dangers of the harmful algorithms that push damaging content to vulnerable users.

Molly’s case was a wake-up call for the UK, showing how unregulated online spaces can be incredibly dangerous for young minds. Her father’s work, alongside child safety advocates, has been instrumental in shaping the Online Safety Act. But will the new law do enough to prevent another tragedy like Molly’s?

What is the Online Safety Act and what does it do?

The UK Online Safety Act is a new law designed to hold social media platforms, search engines, and other online services accountable for the content they host. The goal? To protect children from seeing harmful material and to crack down on illegal activities like child sexual abuse, fraud, and hate speech.

What parents and teachers need to know

• Social media and online platforms must act. Sites like TikTok, Instagram, and YouTube will have to actively prevent children from seeing harmful content, such as self-harm, eating disorders, and pornography.
• Age verification will become stricter. Platforms will need to ensure that underage users don’t access content meant for adults, using tools like ID checks and AI age estimation.
• Cyberbullying and online abuse must be tackled. Companies will need to have policies in place to handle harmful interactions between users.
• Criminal activity must be reported. Tech companies will have to work with law enforcement to stop child exploitation and other illegal activities online.
• Ofcom will be the watchdog. The UK’s communications regulator, Ofcom, will have the power to fine tech companies up to 10% of their global revenue if they fail to follow the rules.

The strengths: what the Act gets right

The Online Safety Act has been praised for tackling online harms head-on. Here’s what supporters are saying:

• Stronger protections for children – For too long, children have been exposed to harmful content with little oversight. This Act forces tech giants to take responsibility.
• Accountability for Big Tech – Platforms can no longer hide behind vague policies; they must prove they are protecting users – or face significant fines.
• Action against illegal content – From child exploitation to terrorism, the law ensures stronger action against truly dangerous online activity.
• Empowerment for users – Adults will get more control over what they see online, with tools to filter out harmful content.
• Transparency – Social media sites will need to be upfront about how they handle content, making it easier for parents and educators to know what’s being done to protect children.

The weaknesses: where concerns remain

Not everyone is convinced the Act will work as intended. Critics highlight some key issues:

• Freedom of speech worries – Some argue the law might lead to unnecessary censorship, where platforms remove content just to avoid getting fined, even if it’s legal.
• Will age verification work? – While stricter checks sound good in theory, critics worry that age verification tools might not be reliable or could create privacy risks.
• Can tech companies actually enforce it? – Social media platforms are vast, and moderating content effectively is extremely difficult. Some fear companies will struggle to comply.
• Privacy concerns – To tackle illegal content, platforms may have to monitor private messages, raising concerns about government overreach and user privacy.
• What about smaller platforms? – While big companies like Facebook and YouTube can afford compliance, smaller platforms might struggle with the costs of meeting these new requirements.

Who supports the Act? Who is against it?

Child safety organisations like the NSPCC, schools, and many parents welcome the new rules as a much-needed step toward online safety. Some however, like Ian Russell, believe the Act in its current form simply doesn’t go far enough.

The regulator Ofcom has decided to deploy timidity where ambition is needed. Rather than focusing on reducing harm and preventing tragedies, its approach seems aimed at minimising the economic costs for tech firms cleaning up the harm they have caused.

Ian Russell, online safety campaigner

Conversely, free speech advocates, tech companies, and digital rights groups worry that the Act might go too far, impacting privacy and limiting open discussion online.

Big tech firms like Meta (Facebook, Instagram) and X (formerly Twitter) have expressed concerns about the law’s feasibility, while encrypted messaging services like WhatsApp and Signal warn it could force them to weaken their security features.

How will the Act be enforced?

The Online Safety Act isn’t just a set of recommendations – it does have some teeth.

• Regulated by Ofcom – Ofcom will oversee compliance and investigate companies that fail to meet their duties.
• Heavy fines – Companies could face fines up to £18 million or 10% of their global turnover, which for a company like Meta could mean billions.
• Blocking sites – In extreme cases, non-compliant services could be blocked in the UK.
• Criminal charges – Senior executives of tech firms could be held personally responsible for serious failures to protect children.

So, will the UK Online Safety Act keep our children safe?

It’s a big step in the right direction. Parents and teachers will have stronger tools to hold tech companies accountable, and platforms will be forced to take online safety seriously.

But legislation alone can’t fix everything that presents a risk to children online.

What can parents and teachers do?

• Talk to children about online risks – Open conversations about safe internet use are still essential.
• Use parental controls – Even with new laws, using built-in safety features on devices and apps is important.
• Stay informed – Knowing what’s happening in the digital world and how it works, helps adults guide children safely.

The UK Online Safety Act is an ambitious and much-needed reform which has taken its time to arrive. While definitely not perfect, it puts child protection front and centre. The challenge now is making sure it works.

More resources on digital wellbeing for young people