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Written question asked by Sharon Hodgson (Labour) on Friday, 20 February 2026, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Wednesday, 25 February 2026 (named day). It was answered by Kanishka Narayan (Labour) on Wednesday, 25 February 2026 on behalf of the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology.


Social Media: Young People

Question

To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what assessment she has made of the whether social media age restrictions on platforms headquartered overseas would be enforceable.

Answer

The Online Safety Act has extraterritorial effect, meaning any regulated service with a significant number of UK users is required to meet duties wherever they are based.

Where an organisation breaches its duties, Ofcom can require it to take steps to return to compliance or issue a fine. Ofcom can enforce these penalties via court processes in the UK and other jurisdictions.

Ofcom can also apply for court orders requiring third parties to withdraw services or block access in the UK to non-compliant services. These measures ensure that, where services overseas choose to ignore their duties, they can be sanctioned.


Secondary information

Type
Written question
Reference
113481
Session
2024-26
Subjects
Access Foreign companies Young people Social media
Link
View this Written question on www.parliament.uk