Regulated Services Under the Online Safety Act

This guide outlines the types of services that fall under the scope of the Online Safety Act 2023. It details the legal requirements imposed on providers of three categories of internet services: user-to-user (U2U) services, search services, and services featuring provider pornographic content. The document explains that the Act applies to any service with links to the UK, regardless of the provider's location, potentially affecting over 100,000 online services across various sectors. It describes U2U services as those that allow users to generate, share, or upload content, while search services enable users to search multiple websites or databases. Additionally, it discusses the obligations for services displaying pornographic content to ensure age verification measures are in place to protect minors. The guide also addresses exemptions from regulatory duties and defines criteria for determining links to the UK, emphasizing the importance of adapting regulatory expectations as new technologies emerge.