Handley Gill
AWARD-WINNING LEGAL & REGULATORY COMPLIANCE CONSULTANTS

Online Safety, Content moderation & Regulation

As the Online Safety Bill progresses and the Digital Services Act comes into force, platforms and publishers need to ensure that they have in place robust systems to identify, assess and manage user generated content risk, with mechanisms for the removal of unlawful or harmful content. At Handley Gill, we support organisations to understand their obligations and implement compliance frameworks.

Children's Access Assessments

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Children's Risk Assessments

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Terms & Conditions

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Age Assurance

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Illegal Content Risk Assessments

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Safety Duties

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Community Standards

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Content Moderation Policies

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Complaints & Disputes

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Regulatory Enforcement

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Training

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Children's Access Assessments - Children's Risk Assessments - Terms & Conditions - Age Assurance - Illegal Content Risk Assessments - Safety Duties - Community Standards - Content Moderation Policies - Complaints & Disputes - Regulatory Enforcement - Training -

Online Safety, Content Moderation & Regulation

Safe-harbour provisions intended to protect online hosts and other intermediaries from liability in respect of third party and user generated content are being gradually chipped away. Liability for data protection, defamation and other unlawful content can now befall organisations which fail to impose appropriate monitoring and moderation of content, or don’t respond swiftly and effectively when faced with a complaint.

First the EU’s Digital Services Act and now the UK’s Online Safety Act 2023 only serve to expand the scope of organisations who need to take these issues into account, and increase the obligations on affected organisations, bringing additional regulation, complexity and cost.

We advise organisations on their obligations, assist them to put in place appropriate procedures, and advise on their responses to specific decisions and complaints, balancing competing principles and rights.

We also engage with organisations in relation to what forthcoming legislation could mean for their organisation, and support them in their lobbying efforts.

Access our Online Safety and Online Harms Resources page.

Follow our dedicated online safety Twitter/X account.

Featured
On Hand March 2025
On Hand March 2025

March 2025 edition of Handley Gill’s monthly digital newsletter, On Hand, with all the latest developments in data protection (UK, EU and global), cyber security, AI and machine learning, content regulation, open justice, access to information, reputation management, digital markets regulation, human rights & ESG. Presented in a readily digestible digital format, those who prefer the traditional newsletter format can export the newsletter to pdf.

Information Wrongs
Information Wrongs

Handley Gill’s specialist online safety consultants analyse the fine imposed on the provider of OnlyFans, its second fine against a video sharing platform provider for failure to comply with an information notice issued under Part 4B Communications Act 2003, the precursor to the Online Safety Act 2023 regulating video sharing platforms, examining common themes in Ofcom’s approach to enforcement having regard to its earlier fine on TikTok and, considering the implications for entities subject to the Online Safety Act 2023.

Child Development
Child Development

Handley Gill’s specialist data protection consultants summarise and comment on the efficacy of the Information Commissioner’s strategy to enforce its Age Appropriate Design Code aka the Children’s Code, the likely targets of future enforcement activity and, the impact of regulatory co-operation with Ofcom.

Time's up
Time's up

Handley Gill’s specialist online safety consultants highlight the passing of the deadline for online services to complete their illegal content risk assessments under the Online Safety Act 2023 and comment on next steps, including the obligation to implement mitigations against the identified risks and the online safety regulator, Ofcom’s, enforcement measures.

Choking off harmful online pornographic content
Choking off harmful online pornographic content

Handley Gill’s specialist content moderation, online safety and responsible AI consultants consider the report of the Independent Pornography Review carried out by Baroness Bertin, which has implications not only for platforms hosting pornographic content but for producers, adult performers and creators, ancillary service providers, advertisers, AI developers and regulators.