Britain’s communications regulator Ofcom has set out new expectations requiring technology companies that operate in the UK to establish formal protocols to handle sudden increases in illegal content during public safety crises.
The regulator said it introduced the measures following violence in August 2024 connected to a knife attack in Southport, which killed three young girls at a Taylor Swift-themed dance class. Officials have attributed part of the unrest to misleading content that circulated quickly across social media platforms.
Under the guidance published by Ofcom, social media services and other online platforms must be prepared to activate crisis-response procedures when a surge in illegal content occurs. The regulator explained it had accelerated the timetable for these requirements because online harms can escalate rapidly during emergency situations.
Key elements of the protocol include the expectation that companies will be ready to stand up temporary response teams and scale up moderation resources while a crisis is ongoing. Ofcom also requires larger platforms to put in place dedicated channels for communication with law enforcement during such events.
The regulator said companies should carry out reviews once crises have subsided to assess their actions and the effectiveness of their responses. The guidance aligns with the provisions of Britain’s Online Safety Act, which links illegal content to around 140 criminal offenses, including terrorism, hate crimes, harassment and threats.
Ofcom’s document leaves it to individual companies to decide how they will meet the requirements, stating firms must determine their own methods in line with the regulator’s guidance. The Online Safety Act is described by the regulator as one of the strictest regulatory frameworks for online content worldwide.
The new obligations focus on operational preparedness rather than prescribing specific technological solutions, emphasizing the need for rapid scaling of human moderation and clear law enforcement contact points during incidents. Companies are expected to balance rapid response with post-event review to refine procedures.
These rules apply to platforms operating in the UK and aim to reduce the speed at which harmful and illegal material can spread during emergencies. Ofcom’s approach prioritizes an industry-led selection of tactics for compliance, subject to the regulator’s oversight and the legal framework established by the Online Safety Act.
Context note: The regulator pointed to the August 2024 Southport incident and subsequent unrest as a catalyst for accelerating the introduction of these crisis-response expectations.