The Free Speech Coalition (FSC) has submitted detailed feedback to the U.K.'s media regulator, Ofcom, regarding its proposed age verification guidelines under the new Online Safety Act. The submission critiques the guidance, highlighting ambiguities and potential burdens on businesses.

FSC Addresses Online Safety Act Guidelines

In a statement released Tuesday, the Free Speech Coalition detailed its response to Ofcom's consultation on age verification guidelines. Ofcom is the regulator responsible for enforcing the U.K.’s Online Safety Act (OSA).

The FSC's submission offers a critique of the proposed guidance, identifying areas of ambiguity and potential for excessive burden on small businesses. It also points to negative implications for adults seeking to access sexual content.

A primary concern for the FSC is the lack of clarity regarding what age assurance methods are considered "highly effective." The organization also raised questions about the feasibility of compliance without concrete examples or approved standards from Ofcom. The FSC further explained challenges and potential inequities introduced by the proposed guidance, specifically noting issues related to cost and consumers' unwillingness to comply with age assurance measures.

Alison Boden, Executive Director of the FSC, stated that Free Speech Coalition members agree with the goal of protecting children from age-inappropriate or harmful material. However, Boden emphasized that guidelines must also respect adults' rights to access content and avoid placing undue burdens on providers. The FSC's response to Ofcom’s consultation aims to illuminate the practical realities of the proposal and challenge the agency to mitigate the issues it creates. The FSC anticipates continued dialogue with Ofcom to ensure that final regulations are fair, clear, and practical for affected platforms to comply with.

Compliance Recommendations and Enforcement

The Online Safety Act went into effect earlier this year, requiring websites that provide adult content to implement age verification for traffic originating from the U.K. Ofcom has issued various guidance documents in recent months.

In May 2025, the Free Speech Coalition released new recommendations to its members, urging compliance with the U.K.'s Online Safety Act. These recommendations were published on the FSC's blog. Ofcom has been sending letters to porn sites for several months, requesting contact information for the company's OSA compliance point person and an explanation of their plans for implementing age verification. Companies that do not respond or provide incorrect information are subject to severe penalties. The FSC advises conferring with trusted advisors when sharing information with Ofcom or any regulator. The FSC also offers to anonymously ask questions to Ofcom on behalf of its members and communicate any answers received.

The OSA's requirements for age verification vary depending on a site's functionality. Sites covered under Part 3 of the OSA include "user-to-user" (U2U) services that allow users to interact, upload content, or message one another, as well as search engines. Examples of U2U services include tube sites, cams, and fan platforms. These services are expected to implement age verification by July 25, 2025, as communicated by Ofcom in an April letter.

Part 5 of the OSA covers other sites that display or publish adult content, such as paysites, and sites that sell content downloads, rentals, and streams. These are referred to as porn sites. Porn sites were expected to implement age verification in January 2025, and many have already received letters from Ofcom requesting information on their implementation plans.

Key Facts

  • The Free Speech Coalition (FSC) submitted detailed feedback to Ofcom regarding age verification guidelines under the U.K.'s Online Safety Act.
  • The FSC's submission critiques the proposed guidance, citing ambiguity, potential burden on small businesses, and negative implications for adult access to sexual content.
  • A key concern for the FSC is the lack of clarity on "highly effective" age assurance methods and the feasibility of compliance without concrete examples from Ofcom.
  • The Online Safety Act requires websites providing adult content to implement age verification for U.K. traffic.
  • Ofcom has been sending letters to adult content providers requesting compliance information, with severe penalties for non-response or incorrect information.
  • Age verification deadlines vary: July 25, 2025, for "user-to-user" services (Part 3) and January 2025 for other adult content sites (Part 5).