Setting out higher standards for online safety and data privacy, the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) and Ofcom have released joint statements pledging to strengthen their collaboration to promote compliance.
The statement sets out “twofold” ambitions to ensure providers feel they have a responsibility to comply with regulation to protect online users which in turn will instil confidence in the user that their data privacy is being upheld.
The scrutiny on providers of online services comes in preparation for the new year when Ofcom will take on additional regulatory duties.
The ICO is in the process of publishing data protection guidances on the use of age verification technologies to block harmful online content to younger users, in which Ofcom will play a role.
In 2021, over 62% of UK internet users reported that they had experienced at least one instance of harmful behaviour or content online in the previous month.
