Online Safety Act 2023 (c. 50) – Section 69 – Offence in relation to CSEA reporting

Sections

Section 69Offence in relation to CSEA reporting

(1) A person commits an offence if, in purported compliance with a requirement under section 66—

(a)
the person provides information that is false in a material respect, and
(b)
at the time the person provides it, the person knows that it is false in a material respect or is reckless as to whether it is false in a material respect.

(2) A person who commits an offence under this section is liable—

(a)
on summary conviction in England and Wales, to imprisonment for a term not exceeding the general limit in a magistrates’ court or a fine (or both);
(b)
on summary conviction in Scotland, to imprisonment for a term not exceeding 12 months or a fine not exceeding the statutory maximum (or both);
(c)
on summary conviction in Northern Ireland, to imprisonment for a term not exceeding 6 months or a fine not exceeding the statutory maximum (or both);
(d)
on conviction on indictment, to imprisonment for a term not exceeding 2 years or a fine (or both).

Pending amendment (not yet in force)

legislation.gov.uk records the following amendment(s) to this Section that had not been brought into force on 19 September 2026 and are therefore not reflected in the text above:

s. 69: coming into force by S.I. 2025/371, reg. 2(1)(c), (2) (only so far as it relates to regulated user-to-user services)

Annotations

Commencement Information

I1 S. 69 not in force at Royal Assent, see s. 240(1)
I2 S. 69 in force at 7.4.2026 for specified purposes by S.I. 2026/262, reg. 2(1)(c)(2)

https://osa.digiphile.law/article/article-69.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.