Illegal and harmful content

OS-illegal

Harmful online content: how to report it and where to get help

Published: 26 October 2023

Last updated: 21 September 2026

If you, or someone you know, have been affected by illegal, harmful or upsetting content online, please contact a support service to find information and get help.

Online safety rules: what you need to know

Published: 26 October 2023

Last updated: 21 September 2026

Ofcom is the regulator for online safety in the UK. Our job is to make sure that online services protect their users.

Understanding people’s experiences of distressing and harmful content online

Published: 17 September 2026

As the UK regulator for online safety, hearing from the public and understanding people’s lived experiences online is an important way of informing our work.

Ofcom to crack down on spread of illegal intimate images and deepfakes, boosting protections for women and girls online

Published: 9 September 2026

Online safety watchdog, Ofcom, has warned tech firms they only have weeks left to put in place measures to stop illegal intimate images and deepfakes from spreading on their platforms.

Enforcement programme into measures being taken by services to prevent users from encountering or sharing non-consensual intimate imagery (NCII)

Published: 9 September 2026

Ofcom has opened a programme of work, or ‘enforcement programme’, to assess the measures being taken by providers of services that present particular risks of harm to UK users from NCII to ensure users do not encounter or disseminate such content on their services.

Creating a safer life online for women and girls

Published: 25 November 2025

Last updated: 9 September 2026

Women and girls’ online safety is a priority for Ofcom. This page provides a summary of the work we are undertaking in this space.

‘Adults Only’: what to do if your online service allows pornography

Published: 16 July 2024

Last updated: 9 September 2026

If you allow pornography on your online service, this page is for you. It explains what you need to know about the Online Safety Act and what you need to check to ensure you follow the rules.

Online safety regulatory documents and guidance

Published: 23 October 2025

Last updated: 9 September 2026

Latest versions of Ofcom’s online safety regulatory documents and guidance, as well as links to previous, superseded versions.

Statement: Detecting intimate image abuse

Published: 18 May 2026

Last updated: 9 September 2026

This statement sets out our decision to recommend that certain service providers should use ‘hash matching’ technology to detect intimate image abuse and reduce its spread online.

Call for Evidence: A Safer Life Online for Women and Girls

Published: 9 September 2026

This Call for Evidence invites interested stakeholders to provide Ofcom with evidence and insights about women and girls’ online experiences since the publication of our Guidance in November 2025.