Online Safety Act 2023 (Ofcom-enforced age-assurance duties)

The UK Online Safety Act 2023, enforced by Ofcom, requires in-scope services to use 'highly effective' age assurance so children cannot normally encounter harmful content, with a July 25, 2025 deadline for protections against pornography and other primary-priority harmful content. Ofcom can fine non-compliant services up to 18 million pounds or 10 percent of global turnover and can seek to block access. In response, from July 25, 2025 Reddit began requiring UK users to verify their age through a third-party provider to view mature/NSFW content, moving beyond pure self-declaration. This is a compliance rollout; no Ofcom monetary penalty against Reddit under the Act was found. The separate 2026 fine against Reddit came from the ICO under data-protection law, not Ofcom.