PART 7OFCOM's powers and duties in relation to regulated services
CHAPTER 7Committees, research and reports
I1I2157OFCOM’s reports about use of age assurance
1
OFCOM must produce and publish a report assessing—
a
how providers of regulated services have used age assurance for the purpose of compliance with their duties set out in this Act,
b
how effective the use of age assurance has been for that purpose, and
c
whether there are factors that have prevented or hindered the effective use of age assurance, or a particular kind of age assurance, for that purpose,
(and in this section, references to a report are to a report described in this subsection).
2
A report must, in particular, consider whether the following have prevented or hindered the effective use of age assurance—
a
the costs to providers of using it, and
b
the need to protect users from a breach of any statutory provision or rule of law concerning privacy that is relevant to the use or operation of a regulated service (including, but not limited to, any such provision or rule concerning the processing of personal data).
3
Unless the Secretary of State requires the production of a further report (see subsection (6)), the requirement in subsection (1) is met by producing and publishing one report within the period of 18 months beginning with the day on which sections 12 and 81(2) come into force (or if those provisions come into force on different days, the period of 18 months beginning with the later of those days).
4
In preparing a report, OFCOM must consult—
a
the Information Commissioner, and
b
such other persons as OFCOM consider appropriate.
5
OFCOM must send a copy of a report to the Secretary of State, and the Secretary of State must lay it before Parliament.
6
The Secretary of State may require OFCOM to produce and publish a further report in response to—
a
the development of age assurance technology, or
b
evidence of the reduced effectiveness of such technology.
7
But such a requirement may not be imposed—
a
within the period of three years beginning with the date on which the first report is published, or
b
more frequently than once every three years.
8
For further provision about reports under this section, see section 164.
9
In this section “age assurance” means age verification or age estimation.