Online Safety Act 2023 (c. 50) – Section 162 – OFCOM’s report about researchers’ access to information

Sections

Section 162OFCOM’s report about researchers’ access to information

(1) OFCOM must produce a report—

(a)
describing how, and to what extent, persons carrying out independent research into online safety matters are currently able to obtain information from providers of regulated services to inform their research,
(b)
exploring the legal and other issues which currently constrain the sharing of information for such purposes, and
(c)
assessing the extent to which greater access to information for such purposes might be achieved.

(2) For the purposes of this section a person carries out “independent research” if the person carries out research on behalf of a person other than a provider of a regulated service.

(3) In preparing the report, OFCOM must consult—

(a)
the Information Commissioner,
(b)
the Centre for Data Ethics and Innovation,
(c)
United Kingdom Research and Innovation,
(d)
persons who appear to OFCOM to represent providers of regulated services, and
(e)
such other persons as OFCOM consider appropriate.

(4) OFCOM must publish the report within the period of 18 months beginning with the day on which this section comes into force.

(5) OFCOM must send a copy of the report to the Secretary of State, and the Secretary of State must lay it before Parliament.

(6) For further provision about the report under this section, see section 164.

(7) ^F1 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

(8) ^F1 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

(9) ^F1 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

(10) ^F1 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

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. 162(3)(a): words substituted by S.I. 2026/386, Sch. 2, para. 26(1), para. 26(2)(l) (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. 162(7)-(10) omitted (20.8.2025) by virtue of Data (Use and Access) Act 2025 (c. 18), ss. 125(3), 142(1); S.I. 2025/904, reg. 2(s)

Commencement Information

I1 S. 162 not in force at Royal Assent, see s. 240(1)
I2 S. 162(1)-(6) in force at 10.1.2024 by S.I. 2023/1420, reg. 2(z18)

https://osa.digiphile.law/article/article-162.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.