Recommendation 14

For the non-supervised service providers, Ofcom will monitor their compliance through automated data collection and analysis processes, supported by information from partner organisations that deal with the various harms. Ofcom told us that it has yet to develop the automated systems, but that it hopes the systems will provide an early warning system and enable it to spot emerging risks.25 Ofcom did not plan to ask large numbers of smaller companies for information at this stage, because it considered that 17 Q 28 18 Qq 26–28 19 Qq 28, 30, 31, 68 20 C&AG’s Report, para 1.16 21 Q 31 22 Q 16; C&AG’s Report, paras 14, 3.11 23 Q 44 24 Q 15 25 Qq 23, 48, 49: C&AG’s Report, para 3.12 Preparedness for online safety regulation 11 would not be proportionate.26 It recognised that, in an area where there has not been regulation before, this change is going to increase costs overall across the industry, and said it would therefore do everything it could to make the burden of compliance manageable and proportionate.27 It was also conscious of the need for it to manage carefully the risk that its regulation could prohibit the emergence of new players and innovation.28