Overview

• Technology Secretary Liz Kendall announced the change, shifting platforms from reactive removal to preventing self-harm material from appearing.
• The duty covers adults as well as children and extends obligations that previously applied only to suicide-related content.
• Encouraging or assisting serious self-harm will be treated as a priority offence that triggers proactive safety measures by platforms.
• The rules are expected to commence in the autumn and would take effect three weeks after approval by both Houses of Parliament.
• Charities including the Molly Rose Foundation and Samaritans backed the move and urged Ofcom to enforce it, citing National Crime Agency alerts about grooming ‘Com networks’ targeting children.