Section 237Index of defined terms

The following table sets out terms defined or explained for this Act or for a Part of this Act.

Term	Provision
adult	section 236
age estimation	section 230
age verification	section 230
audit notice	section 236
automated tool	section 236
capacity (of a provider)	section 236
Category 1 service	section 95(10)(a)
Category 2A service	section 95(10)(b)
Category 2B service	section 95(10)(c)
charging year (in Part 6)	section 90
child	section 236
children’s access assessment (in Part 3)	section 35
combined service	section 4(7)
the Communications Act	section 236
confirmation decision	section 236
content	section 236
content that is harmful to children (in Part 3)	section 60
the Convention	section 236
country	section 236
CSEA content (in Part 3)	section 59
[^F1the data protection legislation	section 236]
document	section 236
encounter (content) (except in Part 10)	section 236
entity	section 236
freedom of expression	section 236
functionality	section 233
harm (except in Part 10)	section 234
identifying content	section 236
illegal content (in Part 3)	section 59
information notice	section 236
initial charging year (in Part 6)	section 90
interested person	section 227
internet service	section 228 (see also section 204(1))
[^F2intimate image content (in Part 3)	section 59]
journalistic content (in Part 3)	section 19
likely to be accessed by children (in Part 3)	section 37
measure	section 236
news publisher content (in Part 3)	section 55(8) to (10)
non-designated content that is harmful to children (in Part 3)	section 60
notice	section 236
notify, notification	section 236
OFCOM	section 236
online safety functions	section 235
online safety matters	section 235
paid-for advertisement	section 236
Part 3 service	section 4(3)
person (except in Part 10)	section 236
personal data	section 236
pornographic content	section 236
primary priority content that is harmful to children (in Part 3)	section 61
priority content that is harmful to children (in Part 3)	section 62
priority illegal content (in Part 3)	section 59
priority offence (in Part 3)	section 59
proactive technology	section 231
processing (of data)	section 236
provider	section 226
provider pornographic content (in Part 5)	section 79
provisional notice of contravention	section 236
publicly available	section 236
publicly/privately (in relation to communication of content)	section 232
published or displayed (in relation to pornographic content) (in Part 5)	section 79
recognised news publisher (in Part 3)	section 56
regulated provider pornographic content (in Part 5)	section 79
regulated search service	section 4(2)
regulated service	section 4(4)
regulated user-generated content (in Part 3)	section 55
regulated user-to-user service	section 4(2)
restricting users’ access to content (in Part 3)	section 58
search	section 57
search content	section 57
search engine	section 229
search request	section 57
search results	section 57
search service	section 3 (see also section 204(1))
systems and/or processes	section 236
taking down (content)	section 236
terms of service	section 236
terrorism content (in Part 3)	section 59
United Kingdom user	section 227
user	section 227
user-generated content (in Part 3)	section 55(3) and (4)
user-to-user part (of a service)	section 236
user-to-user service	section 3 (see also section 204(1))

Amended text

This Section is shown as amended by Crime and Policing Act 2026; 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.

Annotations

Textual Amendments

F1 Words in s. 237 inserted (30.9.2025) by Data (Use and Access) Act 2025 (c. 18), ss. 124(11), 142(1); S.I. 2025/982, reg. 2
F2 Words in s. 237 inserted (29.6.2026) by Crime and Policing Act 2026 (c. 20), ss. 101(9), 255(1); S.I. 2026/689, reg. 2(1)(j)

Commencement Information

I1 S. 237 in force at Royal Assent, see s. 240(z5)

https://osa.digiphile.law/article/article-237.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.