The British government announced on January 8 that a new law has officially entered into force, making online sexual harassment a priority offense, requiring dating apps and social media platforms to take active measures to block online sexual harassment content such as unsolicited explicit images before they see them, rather than just respond after the harm has been caused. Businesses can respond by using automated systems to pre-detect and hide such images, implement review tools, or more stringent content policies. The Act is part of the UK Government's strategy to reduce violence against adult and underage women by half within 10 years, including a commitment to classify online sexual harassment as a “priority offense” under the Cybersecurity Act. The statement said that companies that do not comply with these new laws may face hefty fines or have their services blocked in the UK.

The British government announced on January 8 that a new law has officially entered into force, making online sexual harassment a priority offense, requiring dating apps and social media platforms to take active measures to block online sexual harassment content such as unsolicited explicit images before they see them, rather than just respond after the harm has been caused. Businesses can respond by using automated systems to pre-detect and hide such images, implement review tools, or more stringent content policies. The Act is part of the UK Government's strategy to reduce violence against adult and underage women by half within 10 years, including a commitment to classify online sexual harassment as a “priority offense” under the Cybersecurity Act. The statement said that companies that do not comply with these new laws may face hefty fines or have their services blocked in the UK.