UK Online Safety Act Service Classification Workflow

Run the workflow as a decision tree. First identify whether the service is a user-to-user service or a search service, then check whether it is likely to be accessed by children. If it is in scope, assess the relevant duties, then decide whether the service meets any categorisation thresholds and what safety measures, evidence, and escalation steps are needed.

Use the workflow to record the service type, the child-access assessment, any categorised-service status, the risk or duty triggered, code mapping, mitigation, evidence, owner, deadline, and Ofcom escalation.

A useful template captures service type, user group, risk type, child-access result, code measure, mitigation owner, evidence, review date, and unresolved assumptions.

Review the workflow after Ofcom code updates, feature changes, algorithm changes, user-base changes, incident trends, complaints, enforcement notices, or transparency-report cycles.