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UK OSA · UK-OSA-OFCOM-CODES-ENFORCEMENT

UK OSA Sections 41-51 - OFCOM codes of practice: the compliance safe harbour and the alternative-measures route

Comply with Ofcom codes of practice as the recommended means of satisfying statutory duties, or face penalties of up to 10% of worldwide revenue

CRITICALRecommendationGovernanceRegulatory guidanceIn forceApplies from 10 January 2024

Where this comes from

Provision: Sections 41-51 - OFCOM codes of practice: the compliance safe harbour and the alternative-measures route

Instrument: UK Online Safety Act 2023

Citation: Online Safety Act 2023, c. 50, ss 41-51, in particular s 49(1) (treated as complying), s 49(5)-(6) (alternative measures) and s 50(1)-(4) (effects of codes); Sch 4 (principles, objectives and content of codes); Sch 13 para 4 (maximum penalties)

Text version: Online Safety Act 2023 c. 50, revised text as displayed on legislation.gov.uk on 2026-09-21 ('up to date with all changes known to be in force on or before 21 September 2026'), including the amendments made by the Crime and Policing Act 2026 in force from 29 June 2026 (S.I. 2026/689) and s 66 in force from 7 April 2026 (S.I. 2026/262). The as-enacted text is superseded.

Read the official text ↗

Who it applies to

It applies when all of these are true:

  • Service allows user-generated content

What engineering work it implies

Sample acceptance criteria Landfall generates for this obligation:

  • Provision recorded in the compliance register with an accountable owner
  • Team briefed on the exposure / penalties and the conditions that trigger them
  • Register entry is flagged for review on any relevant regulatory change

Questions people ask

Does UK OSA Sections 41-51 - OFCOM codes of practice: the compliance safe harbour… apply to my service?
It applies when Service allows user-generated content.
From when does this apply?
UK OSA Sections 41-51 - OFCOM codes of practice: the compliance safe harbour… applies from 10 January 2024. Its current status is: in force.

Find out whether this one lands on you

Landfall's pre-scan answers the applicability question above for your product in minutes, then turns every obligation that applies into traceable engineering tickets with a citation chain your auditors can follow.

Run the pre-scanAll UK OSA obligations

Not legal advice. Landfall maps regulatory obligations to engineering work for planning purposes. Its verdicts are not legal advice and create no attorney-client relationship — verify with qualified counsel before relying on them.

What Landfall Is NOT

Critical Boundaries

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Interpretations are informational analysis, not legal counsel. Always consult qualified legal professionals for compliance decisions.

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No numerical risk rating, compliance percentage, or safety score. Risk assessment requires human judgment about your specific context.

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Documentation of your process is valuable, but does not constitute a legal defense. Compliance is ultimately your organization's responsibility.

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Regulatory landscape is vast and evolving. Gaps in our coverage do not mean those requirements don't apply to you.

What This Tool IS:

  • A structured workflow for mapping regulatory requirements to implementation tasks
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  • A collaboration platform for compliance, legal, and engineering teams
  • An informational resource for understanding regulatory obligations