Online Safety Act 2023

Maximum amount of penalties

4 (1) Where a penalty is imposed on a person in respect of a regulated service provided by that person, the maximum amount of the penalty for which the person is liable is whichever is the greater of—

(a) £18 million, and

(b) 10% of the person’s qualifying worldwide revenue for the person’s most recent complete accounting period (subject to sub-paragraph (5)).

(2) But if the person does not have an accounting period, the maximum amount of the penalty for which the person is liable is £18 million.

(3) The maximum amount of a penalty for which a person not within sub-paragraph (1) is liable is £18 million.

(4) If the person’s first accounting period has not yet ended, sub-paragraph (1)(b) is to be read as referring to 10% of the amount that OFCOM estimate to be the person’s likely qualifying worldwide revenue for that period.

(5) If the duration of the accounting period by reference to which an amount of qualifying worldwide revenue is calculated is less than a year, the amount mentioned in sub-paragraph (1)(b) is to be proportionately increased.

If the duration of that accounting period is more than a year, that amount is to be proportionately reduced.

(6) The amount of a person’s qualifying worldwide revenue for an accounting period is, in the event of a disagreement between the person and OFCOM, the amount determined by OFCOM.

(7) In the case of a confirmation decision that imposes a penalty of a single amount and a penalty calculated by reference to a daily rate, references in sub-paragraphs (1) to (3) to the maximum amount for which a person is liable are to the maximum amount of both those penalties taken together.

(8) In this paragraph “accounting period”, in relation to a person, means a period in respect of which accounts are prepared in relation to that person or, where that person is an individual, in respect of that individual’s business of providing a regulated service.

(9) Regulations made by OFCOM under section 85(1)(a) (including regulations making provision of a kind mentioned in section 85(3), (4) or (5)) apply for the purpose of determining the qualifying worldwide revenue of a provider of a regulated service for an accounting period as mentioned in this paragraph as they apply for the purpose of determining the qualifying worldwide revenue of a provider of a regulated service for a qualifying period for the purposes of Part 6.