UK has ‘March 31 deadline’ for Facebook, Instagram and TikTok: ‘Specifically, they must determine…’

The UK’s media regulator, Ofcom, has announced a March 31 deadline for social media platforms such as Facebook, Instagram, TikTok and other online services to submit risk assessments detailing the likelihood of users encountering illegal content on their sites.According to a report by news agency Reuters, this mandate stems from the Online Safety Act passed last year, which requires companies like Meta (Facebook and Instagram) and ByteDance (TikTok) to proactively address criminal activity and enhance user safety on their platforms.

Under the new legislation, these companies must evaluate and mitigate the risks of various offenses, including terrorism, hate crime, child sexual exploitation, and financial fraud.