Recommendation 8

Ofcom has been preparing for its new regulatory role since 2020 when the government confirmed its decision to appoint Ofcom as the regulator for online safety.10 Ofcom told us that there was no regulation of comparable scale and ambition, and that it therefore had to start from scratch in 2020. Both the scope and the timetable of the Bill changed significantly during its passage through Parliament.11 For example, in March 2022, the government removed previously core duties to tackle legal but harmful content.12 We questioned Ofcom about the impact the changes in scope and delays to the expected Bill timetable had on its preparation. Ofcom responded that, although it had been challenging for it to stay on track, the extra time had been quite helpful as it enabled it to progress its preparations and to move swiftly after the Bill became law. The Department and Ofcom both told us that they had had a close and collaborative relationship during this set-up period in order to be as ready as they could be on the day after the Bill received Royal Assent.13 Handling complaints