Ofcom releases new OSA guidance to prevent non-consensual sharing of intimate images
25/11/2025 | The Guardian
The UK communications regulator, Ofcom, has introduced new guidance for social media platforms under the Online Safety Act 2023 (OSA) aimed at combating misogynistic abuse and the sharing of intimate images without consent. Among the measures coming into force on Tuesday, tech companies are being urged to use hash matching technology, which converts reported illicit images into unique digital fingerprints, allowing platforms to detect and remove non-consensual intimate images of women and girls, often referred to as "revenge porn."
Although the measures are voluntary, Ofcom is applying pressure by promising to publish a report in 2027 detailing how platforms have responded. The regulator also suggested that the OSA could be strengthened if the recommendations are ignored or implemented ineffectively.
Additional legal analysis by Mischon de Reya.
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