Netflix, Prime Video, Disney+, ITVX and Channel 4 will come under “enhanced regulation” by the United Kingdom’s Ofcom in an effort to “better protect children and the most vulnerable.”
Under new “secondary legislation” to implement the 2024 Media Act, major streamers with over 500,000 U.K. subscribers will be classified as “Tier 1” services, requiring them to follow similar Ofcom content rules to those currently in place for traditional broadcasters.
These new rules include minimum requirements that the services must ensure at least 80% of their total catalogue is subtitled, 10% is audio-described and 5% is signed to benefit viewers with disabilities.
Similar to the country’s Broadcasting Code, the move aims to ensure that “news is reported accurately and impartially and that audiences are protected against harmful or offensive material.” Audiences will be able to complain to Ofcom if they see something concerning, and Ofcom will have powers to investigate and take action against violations of the new rules.
The move comes as two thirds of U.K. households subscribe to at least one service from Netflix, Prime Video or Disney+, with 85% of people using an on-demand service each month, compared to 67% who watch live TV.
While licensed television channels must comply with Ofcom’s Broadcasting Code and accessibility requirements, such as subtitles, many of the U.K.’s most popular video-on-demand services are not regulated to the same standard and some are not regulated in the U.K. at all.
“We know that the way audiences watch TV has fundamentally changed. Millions now choose to watch content on video-on-demand platforms alongside or, in the case of many young people, instead of traditional TV,” Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport Lisa Nandy said in a statement. “The Media Act introduced vital updates to our regulatory framework which this government is committed to implementing. By bringing the most popular video-on-demand services under enhanced regulation by Ofcom, we are strengthening protections for audiences, creating a level playing field for industry and supporting our vibrant media sector that continues to innovate and drive growth across the U.K.”
Ofcom will shortly begin a public consultation on the new standards and accessibility codes, which will be an opportunity for the public and providers to set out their views on the rules that will be within the codes.
