Section 50Effects of codes of practice

(1) A failure by a provider of a Part 3 service to act in accordance with a provision of a code of practice does not of itself make the provider liable to legal proceedings in a court or tribunal.

(2) A code of practice is admissible in evidence in legal proceedings.

(3) In any proceedings in a court or tribunal, the court or tribunal must take into account a provision of a code of practice in determining a question arising in the proceedings if—

(a)
the question relates to a time when the provision was in force, and
(b)
the provision appears to the court or tribunal to be relevant to the question.

(4) OFCOM must take into account a provision of a code of practice in determining a question arising in connection with their exercise of any relevant function if—

(a)
the question relates to a time when the provision was in force, and
(b)
the provision appears to OFCOM to be relevant to the question.

(5) In this section—

“code of practice” means a code of practice published under section 46;
“relevant functions” means OFCOM’s functions under—
- (a)
  Chapter 4 of Part 7 (information),
- (b)
  Chapter 5 of Part 7 (notices to deal with terrorism content and CSEA content),
- (c)
  Chapter 6 of Part 7 (enforcement), and
- (d)
  Chapter 2 of Part 8 (super-complaints).

Annotations

Commencement Information

I1 S. 50 not in force at Royal Assent, see s. 240(1)
I2 S. 50 in force at 10.1.2024 by S.I. 2023/1420, reg. 2(n)

https://osa.digiphile.law/article/article-50.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.