PART 3Providers of regulated user-to-user services and regulated search services: duties of care

CHAPTER 6Codes of practice and guidance

Codes of practice

50Effects of codes of practice

(1)

A failure by a provider of a Part 3 service to act in accordance with a provision of a code of practice does not of itself make the provider liable to legal proceedings in a court or tribunal.

(2)

A code of practice is admissible in evidence in legal proceedings.

(3)

In any proceedings in a court or tribunal, the court or tribunal must take into account a provision of a code of practice in determining a question arising in the proceedings if—

(a)

the question relates to a time when the provision was in force, and

(b)

the provision appears to the court or tribunal to be relevant to the question.

(4)

OFCOM must take into account a provision of a code of practice in determining a question arising in connection with their exercise of any relevant function if—

(a)

the question relates to a time when the provision was in force, and

(b)

the provision appears to OFCOM to be relevant to the question.

(5)

In this section—

code of practice” means a code of practice published under section 46;

relevant functions” means OFCOM’s functions under—

(a)

Chapter 4 of Part 7 (information),

(b)

Chapter 5 of Part 7 (notices to deal with terrorism content and CSEA content),

(c)

Chapter 6 of Part 7 (enforcement), and

(d)

Chapter 2 of Part 8 (super-complaints).