Following consultation, the government has laid its Statement of Strategic Priorities for Online Safety before the UK parliament under section 172 of the Online Safety Act. The SSP sets out the government’s focus areas for online safety. Ofcom must have regard to these priorities.
The SSP are as follows:
- Safety by design: Embed safety by design to deliver safe online experiences for all users but especially children, tackle violence against women and girls, and work towards ensuring that there are no safe havens for illegal content and activity, including fraud, child sexual exploitation and abuse, and illegal disinformation
- Transparency and accountability: Ensure industry transparency and accountability for delivering on online safety outcomes, driving increased trust in services and expanding the evidence-base to provide safer experiences for users
- Agile regulation: Deliver an agile approach to regulation, ensuring the framework is robust in monitoring and tackling emerging harms – such as AI-generated content – and increases friction for technologies which enable online harm
- Inclusivity and resilience: Create an inclusive, informed and vibrant digital society resilient to potential harms, including disinformation
- Technology and innovation: Foster the innovation of online safety technologies to improve the safety of users and drive growth.
Ofcom must have regard to the statement when exercising its regulatory functions on online safety matters.
The explanatory memorandum explains that the Statement cannot be amended within five years unless there is a general election or a significant change in government policy, or the Secretary of State considers that the Statement, or part of it, conflicts with Ofcom’s general duties. Section 172 also provides that the SSP may set out particular outcomes identified with a view to achieving the strategic priorities. Ofcom must also, as soon as practicable after a period of 12 months from the designation of the SSP and after every subsequent period of 12 months, publish a review to outline actions it has taken in consequence of the SSP.
