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Communications Act 2003
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- 2003 c. 21
- Part 1
- Media literacy
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This version of this cross heading contains provisions that are prospective.
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Commencement Orders listed in the ‘Changes to Legislation’ box as not yet applied may bring this prospective version into force.
Changes to legislation:
There are outstanding changes not yet made by the legislation.gov.uk editorial team to Communications Act 2003. Any changes that have already been made by the team appear in the content and are referenced with annotations.
Changes to Legislation
Revised legislation carried on this site may not be fully up to date. Changes and effects are recorded by our editorial team in lists which can be found in the ‘Changes to Legislation’ area. Where those effects have yet to be applied to the text of the legislation by the editorial team they are also listed alongside the legislation in the affected provisions. Use the ‘more’ link to open the changes and effects relevant to the provision you are viewing.
Changes and effects yet to be applied to the whole Act, associated Parts and Chapters:
Changes and effects
This section lists the changes and effects yet to be applied to the whole Act, associated Parts and Chapters where applicable. This includes any insertions of whole new Parts, Chapters or provisions yet to be inserted into this Act. These effects are included in this view as they may be (but won’t necessarily be) relevant to the specific provision that you are viewing.
- Act amendment to earlier affecting provision SI 2003/3195 by S.I. 2004/715 art. 3 Sch.
- Act amendment to earlier affecting provision SI 2003/3195 art. 6 Sch. 2 by S.I. 2004/1116 art. 2
- Act amendment to earlier affecting provision SI 2003/3197 by S.I. 2004/308 art. 6(3) Sch. 2
- Act amendment to earlier affecting provision SI 2003/3197 by S.I. 2004/716 art. 3
- Act amendment to earlier affecting provision SI 2003/3197 art. 6 Sch. 2 by S.I. 2004/1114 art. 2
- Act amendment to earlier affecting provision SI 2003/3198 by S.I. 2004/309 art. 2(2) Sch. Pt. 2
- Act amendment to earlier affecting provision SI 2003/3198 by S.I. 2004/718 art. 2
- Act amendment to earlier affecting provision SI 2003/3198 art. 6 Sch. 2 by S.I. 2007/278 art. 3 Sch. 2 Pt. 1
- Act amendment to earlier affecting provision SI 2003/3198 art. 6(1) by S.I. 2004/1115 art. 2
- Act applied (with modifications) by S.I. 2004/1944 art. 4 Sch.
- Act modified by S.I. 2007/1118 art. 7
- Act specified provisions extended (Guernsey) (with modifications) by S.I. 2003/3195 art. 6 Sch. 2 (This SI is amended by SI 2004/307, 2004/715, 2004/1116, 2005/856)
- Act specified provisions extended (Guernsey) (with modifications) by S.I. 2004/307 art. 4 Sch.
- Act specified provisions extended (Isle of Man) (with modifications) by S.I. 2003/3198 art. 6 Sch. 2 (This SI is amended by SI 2004/309, 2004/718, 2004/1115, 2007/278)
- Act specified provisions extended (Jersey) (with modifications) by S.I. 2003/3197 art. 6 Sch. 2 (This SI is amended by SI 2004/308, 2004/716, 2004/1114, 2005/855)
- Act specified provisions extended (Jersey) (with modifications) by S.I. 2004/308 art. 4 Sch. 1
- Blanket amendment text amended by S.I. 2011/1043 art. 3 4
- Blanket amendment text amended by S.I. 2011/1043 art. 3 6
Whole provisions yet to be inserted into this Act (including any effects on those provisions):
- Pt. 4A inserted by S.I. 2009/2979 reg. 2
- s. 4A inserted by S.I. 2011/1210 Sch. 1 para. 6
- s. 35A inserted by S.I. 2011/1210 Sch. 1 para. 11
- s. 48A-48C inserted by S.I. 2011/1210 Sch. 1 para. 23
- s. 49A-49C inserted by S.I. 2011/1210 Sch. 1 para. 25
- s. 56A inserted by S.I. 2011/1210 Sch. 1 para. 31
- s. 76A inserted by S.I. 2011/1210 Sch. 1 para. 41
- s. 80A 80B inserted by S.I. 2011/1210 Sch. 1 para. 43
- s. 84A inserted by S.I. 2011/1210 Sch. 1 para. 47
- s. 89A 89B 89C inserted by S.I. 2011/1210 Sch. 1 para. 50
- s. 96A-96C inserted by S.I. 2011/1210 Sch. 1 para. 55
- s. 100A inserted by S.I. 2011/1210 Sch. 1 para. 60
- s. 105A-105D inserted by S.I. 2011/1210 Sch. 1 para. 65
- s. 110A inserted by S.I. 2011/1210 Sch. 1 para. 69
- s. 111A 111B inserted by S.I. 2011/1210 Sch. 1 para. 71
- s. 120A inserted by S.I. 2011/1210 Sch. 1 para. 77
- s. 124A inserted by 2010 c. 24 s. 3
- s. 124B inserted by 2010 c. 24 s. 4
- s. 124C inserted by 2010 c. 24 s. 5
- s. 124D inserted by 2010 c. 24 s. 6
- s. 124E inserted by 2010 c. 24 s. 7
- s. 124F inserted by 2010 c. 24 s. 8
- s. 124G inserted by 2010 c. 24 s. 9
- s. 124H inserted by 2010 c. 24 s. 10
- s. 124I inserted by 2010 c. 24 s. 11
- s. 124J inserted by 2010 c. 24 s. 12
- s. 124K inserted by 2010 c. 24 s. 13
- s. 124L inserted by 2010 c. 24 s. 14
- s. 124M inserted by 2010 c. 24 s. 15
- s. 124N inserted by 2010 c. 24 s. 16(1)
- s. 124O inserted by 2010 c. 24 s. 19
- s. 124P 124Q inserted by 2010 c. 24 s. 20(1)
- s. 124R inserted by 2010 c. 24 s. 21
- s. 134A-134C inserted by 2010 c. 24 s. 1(1)
- s. 139A-139C inserted by S.I. 2011/1210 Sch. 1 para. 83
- s. 146A inserted by S.I. 2011/1210 Sch. 1 para. 88
- s. 150A inserted by S.I. 2011/1210 Sch. 1 para. 89
- s. 185A inserted by S.I. 2011/1210 Sch. 1 para. 92
- s. 198A inserted by 2010 c. 24 s. 22(1)
- s. 198B-198D inserted by 2010 c. 24 s. 23(1)
- s. 216A inserted by 2010 c. 24 s. 24(7)
- s. 218A inserted by 2010 c. 24 s. 27
- s. 264A inserted by 2010 c. 24 s. 2
- s. 271A inserted by 2010 c. 24 s. 23(2)
- s. 335A inserted by S.I. 2009/2979 reg. 7
- s. 335A(1)(a) text amended by S.I. 2010/1883 reg. 4
- s. 368B(1) text amended by S.I. 2010/419 reg. 3(1)
- s. 368B(6) text amended by S.I. 2010/419 reg. 3(2)
- s. 368D(3)(za)(zb) inserted by S.I. 2010/419 reg. 5(1)
- s. 368D(3A) inserted by S.I. 2010/419 reg. 5(2)
- s. 368G(2) text amended by S.I. 2010/419 reg. 6
- s. 368H(16) text amended by S.I. 2010/831 reg. 7
- s. 368J(1) text amended by S.I. 2010/419 reg. 7
- s. 368K(1)(a) text amended by S.I. 2010/419 reg. 8(2)
- s. 368K(1)(b) text amended by S.I. 2010/419 reg. 8(3)
- s. 368O(2)(a) text amended by S.I. 2010/419 reg. 10
- s. 368P(A1) inserted by S.I. 2010/419 reg. 11(a)
- s. 368P(1) substituted by S.I. 2010/419 reg. 11(b)
- s. 368P(2)(b)(c) omitted by S.I. 2010/419 reg. 11(c)
- s. 368Q(A1) inserted by S.I. 2010/419 reg. 12(1)
- s. 368Q(4) text amended by S.I. 2010/419 reg. 12(2)
- s. 368Q(5) text amended by S.I. 2010/419 reg. 12(3)
- s. 368R(1) text amended by S.I. 2010/831 reg. 8
- s. 368BA 368BB inserted by S.I. 2010/419 reg. 4
- s. 368NA inserted by S.I. 2010/419 reg. 9
- Sch. 11A inserted by S.I. 2010/831 reg. 9
- specified provision(s) amendment to earlier commencing SI 2003/3142 by S.I. 2004/545 art. 2
- specified provision(s) amendment to earlier commencing SI 2003/3142 by S.I. 2004/697 art. 2
- specified provision(s) amendment to earlier commencing SI 2003/3142 art. 4 by S.I. 2004/1492 art. 2
Commencement Orders yet to be applied to the Communications Act 2003:
Commencement Orders
This section lists the commencement orders yet to be applied to the whole Act. These effects are included in this view as they may be (but won’t necessarily be) relevant to the specific provision that you are viewing. Where applicable the commencement orders are listed under two headings, firstly those that bring some part of the Act you are viewing into force and secondly, those that bring into force legislation that affects some part of the legislation you are viewing. If you are viewing a prospective version or there is a prospective version available there may be commencement orders listed here that are relevant to the provision you are viewing.
Commencement Orders bringing provisions within this Act into force:
- S.I. 2003/1900 art. 2 commences (2003 c. 21)
- S.I. 2004/3309 art. 2 3 commences (2003 c. 21)
- S.I. 2009/2130 art. 2 commences (2003 c. 21)
Commencement Orders bringing legislation that affects this Act into force:
- S.I. 2003/3142 art. 2-4 commences (2002 c. 11 and 2003 c. 21)
- S.I. 2004/2575 art. 2 Sch. 1 2 commences (2004 c. 20)
- S.I. 2005/3495 art. 2 commences (2005 c. 15)
- S.I. 2007/2584 art. 2 commences (2006 c. 26)
- S.I. 2007/3546 art. 3 Sch. commences (2007 c. 17)
- S.I. 2008/3068 art. 2-5 commences (2008 c. 17)
- S.I. 2009/812 art. 3 commences (2006 c. 52)
- S.I. 2009/1059 Order transitional provisions for effects of commencing SI 2009/812
- S.I. 2009/1167 art. 3 4 commences (2006 c. 52)
- S.I. 2010/2317 art. 2 3 commences (2010 c. 15)
Prospective
Media literacyE+W+S+N.I.
11Duty to promote media literacyE+W+S+N.I.
(1)It shall be the duty of OFCOM to take such steps, and to enter into such arrangements, as appear to them calculated—
(a)to bring about, or to encourage others to bring about, a better public understanding of the nature and characteristics of material published by means of the electronic media;
(b)to bring about, or to encourage others to bring about, a better public awareness and understanding of the processes by which such material is selected, or made available, for publication by such means;
(c)to bring about, or to encourage others to bring about, the development of a better public awareness of the available systems by which access to material published by means of the electronic media is or can be regulated;
(d)to bring about, or to encourage others to bring about, the development of a better public awareness of the available systems by which persons to whom such material is made available may control what is received and of the uses to which such systems may be put; and
(e)to encourage the development and use of technologies and systems for regulating access to such material, and for facilitating control over what material is received, that are both effective and easy to use.
(2)In this section, references to the publication of anything by means of the electronic media are references to its being—
(a)broadcast so as to be available for reception by members of the public or of a section of the public; or
(b)distributed by means of an electronic communications network to members of the public or of a section of the public.
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