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UK Act of Parliament
2017
United Kingdom
Digital Economy Act 2017
At a glance
Enforced by
What's here
24 compliance obligations, 4 practical guides across 3 topics · 1 journey
Penalty landscape
8 of 24 obligations carry up to 2 years imprisonment. 4 carry different penalties and 12 have no criminal penalty — flagged in the list below.
Who this Act binds
Business-side actors with duties under this Act, ranked by how often they appear.
- Any Person 21
Plus 3 non-business duties on Crown ministers, regulators, local authorities or tribunals — shown collapsed under each section below.
Step-by-step journeys using this legislation
Walkthroughs that take you from a real business situation to compliance.
Relevant guidance
Practical guides for businesses affected by this Act, ordered by how closely they engage with it.
Supporting — topic alignment
2 guidesMentioned in related content
2 guidesOther Acts binding the same actors
For each actor bound by this Act, the other UK Acts that bind them most often. Useful for understanding the full compliance landscape facing each role.
Any Person also bound by 749 other Acts (top 5 shown)
- Human Medicines Regulations 2012 2012 110 duties
- Licensing Act 2003 2003 105 duties
- Merchant Shipping Act 1995 1995 97 duties
- Road Traffic Act 1988 1988 95 duties
- Air Navigation Order 2016 2016 86 duties
What this Act requires
Sections that create concrete duties on businesses or carry penalties. Procedural and definitional sections are folded into the “Browse other sections” expander at the bottom of each group. Click any section title to read the source text on legislation.gov.uk.
Part 1 — Access to digital services
Browse 3 other sections in this Part — procedural / definitional / commencement
Part 2 — Digital infrastructure
Regulation of dynamic spectrum access services
- Register with OFCOM and comply with conditions for dynamic spectrum access services Any Person
- Register with Ofcom to provide dynamic spectrum access services Any Person
Browse 9 other sections in this Part — procedural / definitional / commencement
The electronic communications code
Power to make transitional provision in connection with the code
Power to make consequential provision etc in connection with the code
Application of the code: protection of the environment
Penalties for contravention of wireless telegraphy licences
Fixed penalties under Wireless Telegraphy Act 2006
Search warrants under Wireless Telegraphy Act 2006
Disposal of seized property under Wireless Telegraphy Act 2006
Time limits for prosecutions under Wireless Telegraphy Act 2006
Part 3 — Online pornography
Financial penalties imposed by regulator
Fine up to £250,000- Breach of age-verification or information-sharing rules for online pornography Any Person
Browse 16 other sections in this Part — procedural / definitional / commencement
Internet pornography: requirement to prevent access by persons under 18
Meaning of “pornographic material”
The age-verification regulator: designation and funding
Parliamentary procedure for designation of age-verification regulator
Regulator's power to require information
Enforcement by regulator of sections 14 and 18
Notice by regulator to payment-services providers and ancillary service providers
Meaning of “extreme pornographic material”
Regulator's power to require internet service providers to block access to material
No power to give notice under section 23(1) where detrimental to national security etc
Guidance to be published by regulator
Exercise of functions by regulator
Guidance by Secretary of State to regulator
Requirements for notices given by regulator under this Part
Report on this Part
Interpretation and general provisions relating to this Part
Part 4 — Intellectual Property
Offences: infringing copyright and making available right
10 years imprisonment- Infringe copyright or making‑available right by communicating work to the public Any Person
Browse 3 other sections in this Part — procedural / definitional / commencement
Part 5 — Digital government
Confidentiality of personal information
2 years imprisonment- Disclose personal information without authority Any Person
Information disclosed by the Revenue and Customs
2 years imprisonment- Disclose personal HMRC information without permission Any Person
Code of practice
- Follow the ministerial code when disclosing higher‑education data Any Person
Other duties (1) — Crown / regulator
- Government must issue and consult on data-sharing Code of Practice Crown / Minister / Government department
Confidentiality of personal information
2 years imprisonment- Unauthorised disclosure of personal information Any Person
Information disclosed by the Revenue and Customs
2 years imprisonment- Unauthorised disclosure of HMRC personal data Any Person
Code of practice
- Follow the code of practice when disclosing or using information under s.48 Any Person
- Follow the statutory code of practice when sharing data Any Person
Confidentiality of personal information
2 years imprisonment- Illegally disclose personal information Any Person
Information disclosed by the Revenue and Customs
6 months imprisonment- Unauthorised disclosure of HMRC personal data Any Person
Code of practice
- Follow the code of practice when disclosing information under s56 Any Person
Other duties (1) — Crown / regulator
- Minister must issue and maintain a code of practice for data sharing Crown / Minister / Government department
Provisions supplementary to section 64
- Ensure research disclosures comply with data protection & IP law Any Person
Other duties (1) — Crown / regulator
- Authorities may charge a fee for processing research information requests Statutory regulator
Bar on further disclosure of personal information
2 years imprisonment- Unauthorised disclosure of personal research data Any Person
Information disclosed by the Revenue and Customs
Unlimited fine- Unauthorised disclosure of personal data received from HMRC Any Person
Information disclosed by the Welsh Revenue Authority
2 years imprisonment- Unauthorised disclosure of personal data from Welsh Revenue Authority Any Person
Information disclosed by Revenue Scotland
2 years imprisonment- Disclose personal information from Revenue Scotland without permission Any Person
Code of practice
- Accredited persons must follow the Statistics Board code of practice Any Person
- Follow the Statistics Board code when handling personal data under s64 Any Person
Browse 32 other sections in this Part — procedural / definitional / commencement
Disclosure of information to improve public service delivery
Disclosure of information to gas and electricity suppliers etc
Disclosure of information by gas and electricity suppliers etc
Disclosure of information to water and sewerage undertakers etc
Disclosure of information by water and sewerage undertakers etc
Further provisions about disclosures under any of sections 35 to 39
Regulations under this Chapter
Interpretation of this Chapter etc
Disclosure of information by civil registration officials
Consequential provision
Disclosure of information to reduce debt owed to the public sector
Further provisions about power in section 48
Duty to review operation of Chapter
Regulations under this Chapter
Interpretation of this Chapter
Disclosure of information to combat fraud against the public sector
Further provisions about power in section 56
Duty to review operation of Chapter
Regulations under this Chapter
Interpretation of this Chapter
Disclosure of information for research purposes
Accreditation for the purposes of this Chapter
Delegation of functions of the Statistics Board
Interpretation of this Chapter
Disclosure of non-identifying information by the Revenue and Customs
Disclosure of non-identifying information by the Welsh Revenue Authority
Disclosure of non-identifying information by Revenue Scotland
Disclosure of employer reference information by the Revenue and Customs
Disclosure of information by the Revenue and Customs to the Statistics Board
Disclosure of information by public authorities to the Statistics Board
Access to information by the Statistics Board
Disclosure by the Statistics Board to devolved administrations
Part 6 — Miscellaneous
Retention by OFCOM of amounts paid under Wireless Telegraphy Act 2006
Amended 1 timeInternational recognition of satellite frequency assignments: power of OFCOM to charge fees
Amended 1 timeBilling limits for mobile phones
Amended 1 timeCode of practice for providers of online social media platforms
Amended 1 timeInternet filters
Amended 1 timeSecondary ticketing: duty to provide information about tickets
Amended 1 timePower to create offence of breaching limits on internet and other ticket sales
Amended 1 timeRegulations about charges payable to the Information Commissioner
Amended 1 timeFunctions relating to regulations under section 108
Amended 1 timeSupplementary provision relating to section 108
Amended 1 timeAmendments relating to section 108
Amended 2 timesQualifications in information technology: payment of tuition fees
Amended 1 timeBrowse 23 other sections in this Part — procedural / definitional / commencement
OFCOM reports on infrastructure etc
Comparative overviews of quality and prices
Conditions about allocation of telephone numbers
Provision of information to OFCOM
Information required from communications providers
Appeals from decisions of OFCOM and others: standard of review
Functions of OFCOM in relation to the BBC
TV licence fee concessions by reference to age
Provision of children's programmes
Suspension of radio licences for inciting crime or disorder
Digital additional services: seriously harmful extrinsic material
On-demand programme services: accessibility for people with disabilities
On-demand programme services: specially restricted material
Electronic programme guides and public service channels
Direct marketing code
Televising events of national interest: power to amend qualifying conditions
Strategic priorities and provision of information
OFCOM and Northern Ireland
Prevention or restriction of use of communication devices for drug dealing
Power to apply settlement finality regime to payment institutions
Bank of England oversight of payment systems
Guarantee of pension liabilities under Telecommunications Act 1984
Regulations under section 115
Part 7 — General
Extent
Amended 2 timesBrowse 3 other sections in this Part — procedural / definitional / commencement
Schedules
Browse 9 other Schedules — structural / supplementary
The electronic communications code: transitional provision
Public service delivery: specified persons for the purposes of section 35
Public service delivery: specified persons for the purposes of sections 36 and 37
Specified persons for the purposes of the fraud provisions
Bank of England oversight of payment systems
The electronic communications code
Electronic communications code: consequential amendments
Public service delivery: specified persons for the purposes of sections 38 and 39
Specified persons for the purposes of the debt provisions
Official guidance
Authoritative sources published by regulators or government explaining this legislation.
- Ofcom code powers guidance (opens in a new tab) from Ofcom Detailed Guidance
- Ofcom Online Safety guidance (opens in a new tab) from Ofcom Detailed Guidance
Enforcement and responsible bodies
The regulators that administer or enforce this legislation.
Ofcom
PrimaryOffice of Communications
Regulates telecoms, TV, radio, video-on-demand, postal services, and online safety. Issues licences for telecoms providers, manages spectrum. Now enforces Online Safety Act …
UK Government (Cross-Departmental)
Generic publisher code for cross-departmental government publications that don't map to a specific regulator or department. Used for guidance that spans multiple …
British Board of Film Classification
Classifies films, videos, and some video games for age rating. Statutory authority for classifying cinema releases and video works under the Video …
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