Correspondence

June progress statement: letter from DSIT Secretary of State to Ofcom Chair and CEO

Published 15 June 2026

The Rt Hon Liz Kendall MP
Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology
22-26 Whitehall
London
SW1A 2EG

Dear Sir Ian and Dame Melanie,

Today I am making a series of announcements setting out a package of measures in response to the ‘Growing up in the Online World’ consultation launched earlier this year.

The public response to the government’s consultation has been overwhelming, with more than 116,000 responses. It is clear that urgent action is needed to build on the Online Safety Act to ensure our children have safer and healthier online experiences.

That is why we are banning social media companies from offering their services to under-16s, as well as banning features like livestreaming and strangers communicating with children in online spaces like gaming for under-16s, and ensuring these are turned off as default for 16- and 17-year-olds. We will also ban AI chatbots from offering sexually explicit content to under-18s.

Enforcement of the Online Safety Act and our new ban must be a top priority for Ofcom and I have already asked Sir Ian to conduct an urgent view of whether Ofcom has the right capabilities in place to do this. I would be grateful for Ofcom’s support in prioritising action in the following areas to enable the measures the government has announced to be implemented at pace.

Assessment of highly effective age assurance

We know that use of highly effective age assurance will be critical to the successful implementation of age restrictions for social media services. I would therefore like Ofcom to launch a rapid assessment of what highly effective age assurance looks like for determining whether someone is over 16. Please also consider what new methods are emerging that could support this in the future.

I would be grateful if Ofcom can publish this by October. This is to help inform parliamentary debate on the regulations I intend to lay by the end of the year.

In particular, Ofcom should consider how age assurance can meet the standard of being highly effective, while making all endeavours to avoid excluding users who are old enough to use certain platforms or features but lack the means to verify their age through passports or driving licences. Additionally, I want to emphasise the importance of data privacy and security, and ask that Ofcom ensures this is prioritised throughout its assessments. I know that Ofcom has worked closely with the Information Commissioner’s Office to ensure there is synergy between the online safety regime and data protection legislation, and I ask that this continues.

When developing your assessment of highly effective age assurance, I ask that Ofcom considers the principle that age assurance should work effectively for all users.

Ensuring robust and effective enforcement

No ban can ever be entirely watertight. Some children will inevitably seek to circumvent age restrictions. I want to be clear that the proposed restrictions on social media services offering services to under 16s are additional to the Online Safety Act. The Act’s child safety duties will continue to apply, including for 16- and 17-year-olds.

As I know you agree, services must continue taking effective steps to prevent children from encountering illegal and harmful content online, and face consequences where they fall short. I would welcome Ofcom’s support in reassuring the public that robust enforcement action is not only ongoing but delivering tangible outcomes.

I am clear that this ban must be rigorously enforced from the outset. Visible, credible enforcement will be essential to building confidence that these protections are real and effective in practice and you continue to have my full support to use the full range of enforcement powers at your disposal. As I set out in my recent letter to Sir Ian Cheshire, robust, effective and timely enforcement of the Act is a priority. I look forward to hearing his assessment of what changes may be needed to Ofcom’s structures and ways of working to deliver this and the other priorities set out in the letter.

Transparency is crucial to public trust and confidence in Ofcom’s enforcement. I am therefore asking Ofcom to submit to Parliament and make publicly available an update on enforcement strategy and outcomes and to make this part of its regular accountability to Parliament.

I will continue to keep Ofcom’s enforcement powers under close review as new duties come into force and technologies evolve. If further steps are needed to improve the speed and decisiveness with which Ofcom can act, I will not hesitate to take them.

Strengthening Ofcom

I appreciate this is a material delivery programme for Ofcom and therefore can also confirm that the government will ensure Ofcom has the funding it needs as it prepares to implement and enforce its new duties. This funding is not only for the critical work to implement these new restrictions but also the vital work Ofcom is doing on violence against women and girls, tackling the spread of harmful content online impacting our communities, and addressing other areas of illegal activity of deep concern to the public such as child sexual abuse material and online fraud and scams.

I am grateful for your continued support as we work together and look forward to hearing from you.

Yours sincerely,

The Rt Hon Liz Kendall MP
Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology