Online Safety Act 2023 (c. 50) – Section 65 – OFCOM’s guidance about user identity verification

Sections

Section 65OFCOM’s guidance about user identity verification

(1) OFCOM must produce guidance for providers of Category 1 services to assist them in complying with the duty set out in section 64(1).

(2) In producing the guidance (including revised or replacement guidance), OFCOM must have particular regard to the desirability of ensuring that providers of Category 1 services offer users a form of identity verification likely to be available to vulnerable adult users.

(3) Before producing the guidance (including revised or replacement guidance), OFCOM must consult—

(a)
the Information Commissioner,
(b)
persons whom OFCOM consider to have technological expertise relevant to the duty set out in section 64(1),
(c)
persons who appear to OFCOM to represent the interests of vulnerable adult users of Category 1 services, and
(d)
such other persons as OFCOM consider appropriate.

(4) OFCOM must publish the guidance (and any revised or replacement guidance).

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. 65(3)(a): words substituted by S.I. 2026/386, Sch. 2, para. 26(1), para. 26(2)(c) (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

Commencement Information

I1 S. 65 not in force at Royal Assent, see s. 240(1)
I2 S. 65 in force at 10.1.2024 by S.I. 2023/1420, reg. 2(r)

https://osa.digiphile.law/article/article-65.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.