Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what assessment she has made of the whether social media age restrictions on platforms headquartered overseas would be enforceable.

The Online Safety Act has extraterritorial effect, meaning any regulated service with a significant number of UK users is required to meet duties wherever they are based.

Where an organisation breaches its duties, Ofcom can require it to take steps to return to compliance or issue a fine. Ofcom can enforce these penalties via court processes in the UK and other jurisdictions.

Ofcom can also apply for court orders requiring third parties to withdraw services or block access in the UK to non-compliant services. These measures ensure that, where services overseas choose to ignore their duties, they can be sanctioned.