Technology & Digital

Privacy and Electronic Communications Regulations

PECR sits alongside UK GDPR and gives specific privacy rights relating to electronic communications, including marketing calls, emails, texts, cookies, and traffic data.

Relevant across several parts of this sector.

Software licensing compliance

Understand your legal obligations when using, developing, or distributing software - including open source licensing, commercial agreements, and intellectual property protection.

Relevant across several parts of this sector.

Implement age assurance on your platform

Practical guide to implementing age assurance on your online platform. Covers choosing between age verification and estimation, evaluating providers, privacy-preserving approaches, the specific requirements for pornographic content, and ensuring compliance with both the Online Safety Act and UK GDPR.

Relevant across several parts of this sector.

Computer Misuse Act Compliance

How to comply with the Computer Misuse Act 1990 when conducting security testing, developing security tools, or running bug bounty programmes. Includes the four criminal offences, penalties up to life imprisonment for serious cases, and requirements for legitimate security research.

Relevant across several parts of this sector.

Export Control (Dual-Use Technology)

Export of goods, software, and technology with both civil and military applications requires licensing. Particularly relevant for encryption, advanced computing, AI, and surveillance technologies.

Relevant across several parts of this sector.

Radio Equipment Regulations

Equipment that intentionally transmits or receives radio waves for communication or radio determination must comply with Radio Equipment Regulations, including IoT devices, WiFi equipment, and Bluetooth products.

Relevant across several parts of this sector.

Children's safety duties under the Online Safety Act

Comprehensive guide to the children's safety duties under the Online Safety Act 2023. Covers what triggers the duties, risk assessment by age group, the categories of harmful content affecting children, age assurance requirements, Ofcom's children's codes of practice, and how the OSA intersects with the ICO's Children's Code.

Relevant across several parts of this sector.

Conduct a children's access assessment

Step-by-step guide to assessing whether children are likely to access your online service under the Online Safety Act 2023. Covers the legal test, Ofcom's April 2025 guidance, factors to consider, and what additional duties are triggered if children can access your service.

Relevant across several parts of this sector.

Conduct an illegal content risk assessment

Step-by-step guide to conducting the mandatory illegal content risk assessment under the Online Safety Act 2023. Covers how to identify risks from Schedule 7 priority offences, assess your service's features, document safety measures, and produce the required written record.

Relevant across several parts of this sector.

Online Safety Act compliance checklist

Quick-check verification of your Online Safety Act compliance status. Covers scope assessment, risk assessments, content moderation, terms of service, complaints, age assurance, Ofcom registration, and record-keeping.

Relevant across several parts of this sector.

Online Safety Act penalties and enforcement powers

Quick reference to Ofcom's enforcement powers, penalty calculations, and senior manager criminal liability under the Online Safety Act 2023.

Relevant across several parts of this sector.

Register with Ofcom for Online Safety Act compliance

How to register with Ofcom as a regulated online service and understand fee requirements under the Online Safety Act 2023. Covers scope, the registration portal, qualifying worldwide revenue thresholds, and annual fee obligations.

Relevant across several parts of this sector.

Set up content moderation to meet Online Safety Act requirements

How to build a content moderation system that meets Online Safety Act 2023 duties. Covers automated detection tools, human moderation teams, user reporting mechanisms, content review workflows, removal timelines, record-keeping, and moderator wellbeing.

Relevant across several parts of this sector.

Understanding the Online Safety Act

A strategic overview of the Online Safety Act 2023, explaining what it is, who it affects, how the regulatory framework operates, and where it sits within the broader UK digital regulation landscape. Essential reading for any business operating an online platform or service with user interaction.

Relevant across several parts of this sector.

Write terms of service that meet Online Safety Act requirements

How to draft or update your platform's terms of service to comply with Online Safety Act 2023 duties. Covers required content, prohibited content policies, enforcement, accessibility, and Category 1 additional obligations.

Relevant across several parts of this sector.

Cyber Essentials Certification

Government-backed scheme helping organisations guard against common cyber attacks. Required for many government contracts involving handling of sensitive information.

Relevant across several parts of this sector.

Run a compliant information service business

Whatever information service you run — data processing, hosting, a web portal, a news agency or media monitoring — the same core duties apply. Data protection comes first: you are usually both a controller of your own records and a processor of client data, and unless exempt you must pay the ICO data protection fee. Add the electronic marketing and cookie rules, insure your employees, and keep your workplace safe, fire-safe and free of discrimination.

Relevant to a specific activity in this sector.

Set up and run a safe IT and programming business

Computer programming, consultancy and IT services work is office- and screen-intensive, with display screen equipment, mental health and — in data centres — electrical and environmental risks. This is the universal spine. It takes you through your core workplace health and safety duties, fire safety, employers' liability insurance, equality, data protection and, where it applies, NIS digital service provider duties.

Relevant to a specific activity in this sector.

IT and programming business: compliance checklist

Use this checklist to confirm your IT, programming or consultancy business meets its obligations. Work through the universal workplace items every employer shares, then the data protection and NIS items that bite harder in this sector. If you answer no to any item, follow the linked guide before you proceed.

Relevant to a specific activity in this sector.

Information services compliance checklist

A confirmation checklist for information service businesses. Work through the cross-cutting duties every information service shares, then the section for what you operate — data processing, hosting and web portals, or news agency and other information services.

Relevant to a specific activity in this sector.

Which information service rules apply to your business

Information service businesses — data processing and hosting providers, web portals, news agencies, media-monitoring and other information services — share one defining regime: data protection. Beyond that, what you must do depends on what you operate: cloud, search and marketplace services above a size threshold have network-security duties, services hosting user content have Online Safety Act duties, and news agencies have copyright and press standards to manage. Work out which you are and follow the right guide.

Relevant to a specific activity in this sector.

Data processing, hosting and web portal rules

If you process or host data, run a cloud service, or operate a web portal or search service, two regimes may apply on top of the rules every information service shares — and both scope by what you operate, not by your sector. The NIS Regulations 2018 put security and incident-reporting duties on cloud computing, online search and online marketplace services at or above a size threshold. The Online Safety Act 2023 puts illegal-content and children's-safety duties on services that host user-generated content or provide search.

Relevant to a specific activity in this sector.

Rules for news agencies and information services

If you run a news agency, a media-monitoring or press-clipping service, or another information service, your specific rules centre on copyright — in both directions. You own copyright in the news you create and license to subscribers, and you must license what you copy from other publishers. Most news publishers also join a press self-regulator (IPSO or Impress) voluntarily — there is no statutory press licensing in the UK — and a news agency's own website is generally outside the Online Safety Act.

Relevant to a specific activity in this sector.

Electronic Communications Code

Rights and obligations for communications network operators to install and maintain electronic communications apparatus on public and private land.

Relevant to a specific activity in this sector.

Which IT and programming regulations apply to your business

Computer programming, consultancy and IT service businesses share workplace-safety duties with every employer, then carry data protection duties that bite harder given the volume of personal data you handle, and — if you provide a relevant digital service above the NIS threshold — network and information systems security duties.

Relevant to a specific activity in this sector.

General Authorisation for Electronic Communications Services

Any provider of electronic communications services or networks in the UK operates under a general authorisation regime. No individual licence required, but providers must comply with general conditions.

Relevant to a specific activity in this sector.

Age verification for online services

How to implement age verification to comply with the Online Safety Act and ICO Children's Code. Covers verification methods, pornography requirements, privacy considerations, and gaming/gambling rules.

Relevant across several parts of this sector.

Network and Information Systems (NIS) Regulations

The NIS Regulations 2018 (as amended in 2022) require operators of essential services and relevant digital service providers to implement appropriate security measures, report significant incidents within 72 hours, and cooperate with sector-specific competent authorities. The Cyber Security and Resilience Bill (introduced November 2025) will further expand scope to managed service providers, data centres, and critical suppliers.

Relevant across several parts of this sector.