**Thousands of UK Websites to Be Blocked from 25 July As Landmark Online Safety Law Launches**
From 25 July 2025, internet users across the United Kingdom will see thousands of websites blocked, as a sweeping new regulation known as the Online Safety Act comes into force. The legislation marks a significant change in the government’s approach to online safety and regulation, particularly concerning adult content and protection for children online.
Under the new Act, all websites that host or distribute adult material are legally required to put in place robust age verification mechanisms. This is not simply a case of ticking a box to declare one’s age; platforms must now adopt secure, technology-driven methods such as ID checks or third-party verification systems. Those who do not comply will face the real risk of being taken offline for UK users or being subjected to hefty fines – potentially as high as £18 million or 10% of global revenue, whichever is greater.
Adam Jones, a specialist in internet law at HD Claims, commented, “Gone are the days when underage users could easily access explicit material with just a mouse click. Site operators must now implement meaningful age checks or face the risk of being blocked entirely from the UK market.” This mandate extends beyond traditional adult sites and will also cover platforms like Reddit, X (formerly Twitter), and OnlyFans, which allow user-generated explicit content.
The act appoints Ofcom as the primary regulator, giving it sweeping new powers. Ofcom will now be able to order platforms to take down objectionable content, restrict access to services, and levy financial penalties if they are found to be non-compliant with the law. Importantly, the law allows these powers to be enforced even against platforms hosted overseas, provided they are accessible to a UK audience.
However, privacy remains a key concern. Jones noted that while age verification is mandatory, platforms are prohibited from retaining sensitive ID or personal information without explicit consent. Stringent privacy standards, in line with existing GDPR laws, are meant to protect users, and any company found needlessly storing such data could itself fall afoul of UK and EU data protection regulations.
In practical terms, British internet users can expect to see a growing adoption of privacy-first age verification technologies. These might include digital wallets, credit reference checks, or government-issued ID validation. The goal is to strike a balance: protect children from harmful content without unnecessarily eroding the privacy of legitimate adult users.
Legal experts warn that organisations which ignore these new rules face more than just monetary penalties. In the most egregious cases, senior management figures or company executives could be held personally liable for failures in compliance. David Sant, Senior Solicitor at Harper James, emphasised, “This is merely the newest stage of the UK’s online safety initiative. Any business providing a search engine or interactive online service has already been expected to have conducted risk assessments for illegal and inappropriate content, particularly with respect to children, earlier this year.”
Sant continued, “Those who missed previous assessment deadlines should be aware that Ofcom is quick to act and may now treat their platforms as likely to be accessed by children, triggering immediate requirements for risk mitigation. Crucially, these child access assessments are not a one-off obligation—they must be carried out annually.”
Determining whether a service is accessible to children is a thorough process. Simply stating a minimum age in terms and conditions is no longer sufficient. Businesses must objectively assess if children could realistically use their services, considering both technical access controls and the actual appeal of their content or marketing strategies.
While the scale of possible fines under the Online Safety Act has made headlines, legal observers suggest that enforcement is likely to prioritise cases where there is proven risk to young users. “The reputational damage of an Ofcom-led investigation, especially if publicised, may be just as costly for tech firms as any initial penalty,” Sant remarked.
As the UK becomes one of the world’s strictest enforcers of online protection for minors, the coming months will prove pivotal for both website operators and users adjusting to a new, more tightly regulated digital landscape. For everyday internet users, this means more secure—if sometimes more cumbersome—methods for accessing adult content, while businesses face an evolving environment of compliance obligations and potential scrutiny. The success of these measures in making the internet safer for all remains to be seen as they move from paper to implementation.