Does the Online Safety Act apply to my app?

The Online Safety Act 2023 puts duties on services that let users share content with each other or that search the web, enforced by Ofcom. The duties scale with the size and risk of the service, and they cover illegal content, children's safety and age checks. A small app with user-generated content can be in scope. The Act on legislation.gov.uk.

What it means for your start-up

If users can post, message or share content with each other in your app, it is probably in scope. Ofcom's codes on illegal content and on protecting children are in force, so services must already have assessed their risks and put proportionate measures in place, including age checks where children could see harmful content. Smaller services face lighter duties, but not none.

What to do now

1. Check whether your app is a user-to-user service under the Act. Ofcom has an online tool for this.
2. Complete and record your illegal content and children's risk assessments, and review them when the app changes.
3. Follow Ofcom's consultations on new codes. It consults before each new duty, and small services can ask for proportionate rules.

In Parliament

Marked: mentions consumer apps directly.

• If she will formally request that Google and other online platforms prevent the monetisation of extreme and divisive far-right content, such as that of Danny…
  Written answer · 4 November 2026
  Asked by Helen Maguire (LD). Internet: Radicalism — Under the Online Safety Act, platforms must tackle illegal content, including terrorist content and race- or religion-based hatred, and protect children from…
• What assessment she has made of the adequacy of regulations aimed at tackling abusive content towards LGBTQ+ people online; and whether she plans to introduce…
  Written answer · 30 October 2026
  Asked by Dr Peter Prinsley (Lab). Internet: Harassment — The Government is committed to tackling online abuse including targeted abuse of LGBTQ+ people. The Online Safety Act requires platforms to tackle illegal…
• Online Safety Act 2023: Platform Categorisation
  Debate · 29 October 2026
  To ask His Majesty’s Government why Ofcom’s register of categorised services contains no platform categorised by reference to risk or functionality alone, when the Online Safety Act 2023 permits it; and why small,…
• What assessment her Department has made of the potential merits of introducing measures to prevent older teenagers aged 16 and 17 from viewing content on…
  Written answer · 29 October 2026
  Asked by Ben Lake (PC). Social Media: Young People — The Online Safety Act requires services to protect all users from illegal content and children from content that is harmful to them. Following the ‘Growing Up in…
• What reviews and actions she has taken to tackle misinformation, posts and comments of race hate and the incitement of racism on social media platforms…
  Written answer · 29 October 2026
  Asked by Claire Hanna (SDLP). Disinformation: Northern Ireland — The Online Safety Act requires platforms to tackle illegal content, including that which incites violence and racial hatred. Following the Belfast…
• What assessment she has made of the effectiveness of age-assurance requirements in protecting children online.
  Written answer · 23 October 2026
  Asked by Imogen Walker (Lab). Internet: Children — The government is clear that children should have strong protections from harmful online content. Ofcom published a report on the use of age assurance on 15 July…
• What data her Department holds on the extent to which children are recommended or exposed to misogynistic, anti-feminist or other harmful gendered content by…
  Written answer · 22 October 2026
  Asked by Anneliese Dodds (Lab). Social Media: Children — The Online Safety Act requires platforms to address algorithmic risks, including promotion of illegal content and content harmful to children, including hateful…
• What discussions she has had with major social media companies regarding misinformation targeting young users.
  Written answer · 21 October 2026
  Asked by Shivani Raja (Con). Social Media: Children — Ministers and officials regularly engage with social media companies on child online safety issues including harmful and misleading content. Ofcom also works with…

Related guides

• How do the CMA's app store rules affect consumer apps?
• Is my software platform in scope of the Online Safety Act?

Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Contains Parliamentary information licensed under the Open Parliament Licence v3.0. General information, not legal advice.