You might have seen headlines about the UK Online Safety Act or heard about Ofcom’s new rules for platforms. But what does it mean for you and your family? The bottom line: the UK is putting new laws in place to keep children safe online.

The Online Safety Act is a UK law that makes online platforms legally responsible for keeping children safe on their services. Platforms that allow people in the UK to interact with one another (i.e. social media platforms) or search for content (such as Google) must comply with the Act.

Many of the Act’s requirements will come into force in summer 2025. Ofcom, the UK’s regulator responsible for promoting online safety, is in charge of ensuring companies follow the rules.

In early 2025, Ofcom published a new set of guidelines as required by the Act, called “Codes of Practice.” These outline what platforms must do under the Act to protect children online. So, what’s changing, and how might it affect your child’s experience online?

Platforms will now need to introduce more effective age checks to prevent children from accessing harmful content. This includes material about suicide, self-harm and eating disorders.

The age checks will need to be “highly effective”, and Ofcom has explained in the Codes which types of age checks meet the test. An ineffective form is a person self-declaring their age. Effective methods include using credit card checks or facial age estimation to provide evidence of one’s age.

Many platforms recommend content based on what their users view, search or click on. Under the Act, those systems must not actively push harmful content to children. For example, if a child watches a video that shames a certain body shape, the platform should not keep showing more of the same.

This will not eliminate exposure to all harmful or potentially harmful content. However, it will reduce the volume of such content children are likely to see.

Platforms will need to respond more quickly when harmful content is flagged. That includes improving how they review, assess and remove such content. The purpose of these changes is to reduce children’s exposure to upsetting material. It will also help prevent negative impacts on children’s wellbeing.

Children should have more tools to manage their online experience. These tools will allow children to block or mute other users, decide who can add them to group chats and turn off comments.

Platforms must also provide resources and signpost support for children who encounter something harmful or who search for concerning topics. A search for content related to suicide, for example, might trigger a pop-up that interrupts their journey. The pop-up might signpost a suicide helpline or similar resources.

If your child sees something upsetting or dangerous online, it should be easier for them to report it. Following their report, they should receive a meaningful response.

Platforms must make sure their reporting and complaints processes are easy for children of all ages to access and use. Parents and carers should also be able to raise concerns, even without having an account themselves.

For the first time, every platform must appoint a person responsible for children’s safety. Companies must also review their safety measures each year. This is intended to ensure that children’s wellbeing is embedded in how platforms operate, and that someone is answerable if it is not.

The changes proposed in Ofcom’s Codes are a big step forward. However, they will not eliminate all risks online. It will also take time to understand their full impact on children’s digital lives.

Children may still encounter harmful content, especially on platforms that do not follow the rules. Ofcom says it will continue updating the Codes as it monitors how well they work in practice.

That is why your role as a parent or carer remains essential. We know many children turn to trusted adults when something goes wrong online. And the Online Safety Act does not replace the need for everyday conversations, checks and boundaries.

Here are a few things you can do today to help support your child:

The ABC online safety checklist provides an easier way for parents to take these and other actions for children’s online safety.