The Russia (Sanctions) (EU Exit) (Amendment) (No. 9) Regulations 2022

• “OFCOM” means the Office of Communications;

CHAPTER 6AInternet services

Preventing provision of internet services to or for the benefit of designated persons54A

1

A person who provides a social media service must take reasonable steps to prevent content that is generated directly on the service, or uploaded to or shared on the service, by a designated person being encountered by a user of the service in the United Kingdom.

2

A person who provides an internet access service must take reasonable steps to prevent a user of the service in the United Kingdom from accessing, by means of that service, an internet service provided by a designated person.

3

A person who provides an application store through which an application for an internet service may be downloaded or otherwise accessed must take reasonable steps to prevent a user of the application store in the United Kingdom from downloading or otherwise accessing, by means of that application store, an internet service provided by a designated person.

4

A person who fails to comply with the requirement in paragraph (1), paragraph (2) or paragraph (3) commits an offence.

5

In this regulation—

• “content” means anything communicated by means of an internet service, whether publicly or privately, including written material or messages, oral communications, photographs, videos, visual images, music and data of any description;

• “designated person” means a person who is designated under regulation 5 (power to designate persons) for the purposes of this regulation;

• “encounter”, in relation to content, means read, view, hear or otherwise experience content;

• “internet access service” means a service that provides access to virtually all (or just some) of the end points of the internet;

• “internet service” means a service that is made available by means of the internet;

• “social media service” has the meaning given by section 43(3) of the Finance Act 20205.

Internet services: power to request information and produce documents77A

1

OFCOM may request a person to provide information within paragraph (2) if OFCOM believe that the person may be able to provide the information.

2

Information within this paragraph is such information as OFCOM may reasonably require for the purpose of monitoring compliance with or detecting evasion of regulation 54A (preventing provision of certain internet services to or for the benefit of designated persons).

3

OFCOM may specify the way in which, and the period within which, information is to be provided.

4

If no such period is specified, the information which has been requested must be provided within a reasonable time.

5

A request may include a continuing obligation to keep OFCOM informed as circumstances change, or on such regular basis as OFCOM may specify.

6

A request may include a request to produce specified documents or documents of a specified description.

7

Where OFCOM request that documents be produced, OFCOM may—

a

take copies of or extracts from any document so produced,

b

request any person producing a document to give an explanation of it, and

c

where that person is a body corporate, partnership or unincorporated body other than a partnership, request any person who is—

i

in the case of a partnership, a present or past partner or employee of the partnership, or

ii

in any other case, a past or present officer or employee of the body concerned,

to give such an explanation.

Internet services: information offences77B

1

A person commits an offence, if that person—

a

without reasonable excuse, refuses or fails within the time and in the manner specified (or, if no time has been specified, within a reasonable time) to comply with any request under regulation 77A;

b

knowingly or recklessly gives any information, or produces any document, which is false in a material particular in response to such a request;

c

with intent to evade any provision of regulation 77A, destroys, mutilates, defaces, conceals or removes any document;

d

otherwise intentionally obstructs OFCOM in the exercise of their powers under regulation 77A.

2

Where a person is convicted of an offence under this regulation, the court may make an order requiring that person, within such period as may be specified in the order, to comply with the request.

OFCOM: power to impose monetary penalties88A

1

OFCOM may impose a monetary penalty on a person if they are satisfied, on the balance of probabilities, that—

a

the person has failed to comply with a requirement that is imposed under regulation 54A (internet services), or

b

the person has failed to comply with an obligation that is imposed by or under regulation 77A (internet services: power to request information and produce documents).

2

The amount of the penalty is to be such amount as OFCOM may determine, not exceeding £1,000,000.

3

Any monetary penalty payable under this regulation is recoverable by OFCOM as a civil debt.

4

Any monetary penalty received by OFCOM by virtue of this regulation must be paid into the Consolidated Fund.

OFCOM: monetary penalties: procedural rights88B

1

Before imposing a monetary penalty on a person under regulation 88A, OFCOM must inform the person of their intention to do so.

2

OFCOM must also—

a

explain the grounds for imposing the penalty,

b

specify the amount of the penalty,

c

explain that the person is entitled to make representations, and

d

specify the period within which any such representations must be made.

3

If (having considered any representations), OFCOM decides to impose the penalty, OFCOM must inform the person of their decision.

4

A person to which the decision relates may appeal to the Upper Tribunal against the decision.

5

On an appeal under paragraph (4), the Upper Tribunal may—

a

dismiss the appeal,

b

quash OFCOM’s decision to impose the penalty, or

b

uphold that decision but substitute a different amount for the amount determined by OFCOM.