Overview

• The Children’s Codes, part of the Online Safety Act, require platforms to deploy robust age verification tools and filter harmful content from children’s feeds.
• Failure to comply with the rules by July 25, 2025, could result in fines of up to £18 million or 10% of global revenue, or even UK site bans.
• Senior executives at tech firms face up to two years in jail for repeated breaches of child safety obligations.
• Campaigners and bereaved families argue the measures are not ambitious enough, calling for stricter enforcement and additional safeguards like social media curfews.
• The Government is exploring further protections, including curfews for under-16s and enhanced parental control tools, while the Internet Watch Foundation has launched a free tool to combat child sexual abuse imagery.