Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what steps he is taking to accelerate the implementation of user identity verification measures under the Online Safety Act 2023.

The government is committed to ensuring the Online Safety Act is implemented as quickly as possible. Ofcom is taking a phased approach, focussing on the illegal and child safety duties first, as these have the broadest protections.

Phase three of the programme focuses on additional duties for categorised services, which includes those relating to user verification. Ofcom intends to publish the register of categorised services this Summer. Ofcom will publish draft proposals regarding additional duties on categorised services in early 2026.