The UK just laid out new rules for the internet — it only gets harder from here

Illustration by Hugo Herrera for The Verge

After the Online Safety Act’s arduous multiyear passage through the UK’s lawmaking process, regulator Ofcom has published its first guidelines for how tech firms can comply with the mammoth legislation. Its proposal — part of a multiphase publication process — outlines how social media platforms, search engines, online and mobile games, and pornography sites should deal with illegal content like child sexual abuse material (CSAM), terrorism content, and fraud.

Today’s guidelines are being released as proposals so Ofcom can gather feedback before the UK Parliament approves them toward the end of next year. Even then, the specifics will be voluntary. Tech firms can guarantee they’re obeying the law by following the guidelines to the...

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