ALT A letter which reads: Dear Melanie, I want to extend my thanks for all of Ofcom’s work to implement the Online Safety Act. By the end of the year we will see the key components of the regime start to come into effect. As we have discussed, it is incredibly important that we get the protections of the Act in place as soon as possible and I am keen to continue our discussions on how the government can support Ofcom in delivering on this ambition. Fundamentally, this is about making sure that services take responsibility for ensuring their products are safe for their users. I know Ofcom is intending to finalise the illegal harms codes and risk assessment guidance by the end of the year. This will be a really important milestone for the implementation of the Act. It will mean that for the first time firms will be required to carry out risk assessments for illegal content. [Full text continued on GOV.UK]

ALT A letter which reads: The government fully supports Ofcom in using its enforcement powers as the requirements on services come into effect to make sure that the protections promised by the Act are being delivered for users. I also know you share my view that Ofcom’s codes of practice are iterative and will get stronger as Ofcom builds the evidence of what interventions are effective. In July and August, we saw how online hateful misinformation and incitement fuelled violence and civil unrest across the UK, with violent attacks on temporary accommodation for asylum seekers, mosques, businesses, law enforcement and individuals. One of the most alarming aspects of this unrest was how quickly and widely content spread. [Full text on GOV.UK]