Sections
Section 154A[F1Information for research about online safety matters
- (a)the making of applications by persons seeking information;
- (b)the procedure to be followed in the making and determination of applications;
- (c)the grounds on which applications are to be determined;
- (d)the imposition of requirements described in subsection (1) to be effected by means of notices given to providers of regulated services (“researcher access notices”);
- (e)the contents of researcher access notices;
- (f)the procedure to be followed in the giving of researcher access notices;
- (g)the form in which, and the means by which, information is to be provided;
- (h)the safeguards to be applied in respect of the handling of information;
- (i)the charging of fees payable by applicants for information under the regulations and by providers of regulated services;
- (j)the enforcement of requirements imposed by the regulations;
- (k)appeals in respect of decisions taken under the regulations.
- (a)about investigations (including the making of reports);
- (b)conferring powers of entry, inspection and audit;
- (c)imposing monetary penalties;
- (d)creating offences, but such provision may not impose a penalty for an offence that is greater than a penalty of any of the descriptions mentioned in section 113.
- (a)may authorise or require anything that is to be done under, or for the purposes of, the regulations to be done by an appropriate person;
- (b)may confer a discretion on an appropriate person for the purposes of provision under paragraph (a);
- (c)may apply (with or without modifications) other provisions of this Act.
- (a)regulated services;
- (b)persons carrying out independent research;
- (c)research into online safety matters or the purposes of such research;
- (d)information,
and provision made by virtue of section 224(1) in connection with this section may, in particular, make different provision for different descriptions of services, researchers, research or information.
- (a)processing of personal data that would contravene the data protection legislation (but in determining whether processing of personal data would do so, the duty imposed under the regulations to provide information is to be taken into account);
- (b)provision of information in respect of which a claim to legal professional privilege, or (in Scotland) to confidentiality of communications, could be maintained in legal proceedings.
- (a)OFCOM,
- (b)the Information Commissioner,
- (c)persons who appear to the Secretary of State to represent providers of regulated services,
- (d)persons who appear to the Secretary of State to represent the interests of persons carrying out independent research into online safety matters, and
- (e)such other persons as the Secretary of State considers appropriate.
- (a)“independent research” is research carried out other than on behalf of a provider of a regulated service;
- (b)references to an “appropriate person” are references to—
- (i)OFCOM, or
- (ii)such other person as the Secretary of State considers appropriate to carry out functions under regulations made under this section (and the regulations may include provision establishing a body for this purpose).]
- (i)
Amended text
This Section is shown as amended by Data (Use and Access) Act 2025 (see the annotations below), as incorporated in the text in force on 19 September 2026 as published on legislation.gov.uk.
Amendment in force, not yet in the text
The following amendment(s) to this Section are now in force, but legislation.gov.uk had not incorporated them in the text in force on 19 September 2026 that this page reproduces, so the text above does not yet show them:
- s. 154A(7)(b): words substituted by S.I. 2026/386, Sch. 2, para. 26(1), para. 26(2)(i) (comes into force when 2025 c. 18, s. 119 is fully brought into force); commencement: reg. 1(2)
Note: S.I. 2026/386 came into force on 30 September 2026 (reg. 1(2)), when section 119 of the Data (Use and Access) Act 2025 was fully brought into force by S.I. 2026/1015, reg. 2.
Annotations
Textual Amendments
- F1 S. 154A inserted (19.6.2025 for specified purposes, 20.8.2025 in so far as not already in force) by Data (Use and Access) Act 2025 (c. 18), ss. 125(2), 142(1)(2)(h) (with s. 125(5)); S.I. 2025/904, reg. 2(s)
https://osa.digiphile.law/article/article-154A.html
Text as at 19 September 2026.
This is an unofficial convenience version of the Online Safety Act 2023. It is presented “as is” without guarantee of accuracy, completeness or reliability. See the source text for the official version. This site was last updated in September 2026.