Stronger protections for UK audiences under new content and accessibility standards for streaming services

Stronger protections for UK audiences under new content and accessibility standards for streaming services

• Ofcom's draft new Code sets new rules for streamers, including around harm and offence, due impartiality and accuracy, and fairness and privacy
• Netflix to come under Ofcom's oversight for first time
• Millions set to benefit from new subtitling, audio description and signing requirements for streamed content

Audiences of the largest and most popular streaming services will, for the first time, be afforded stronger protections - similar to standards they know and trust from broadcast television - under Ofcom's draft new Codes.

The Media Act granted Ofcom new powers to create and enforce a new content standards Code for 'video-on-demand' services - commonly known as streaming services. The aim was to level the regulatory playing field between streaming services and traditional broadcasters, so viewers receive similar protections, regardless of how and where they watch.

Ofcom's draft Code, published for consultation today, introduces a range of new rules governing major streaming services such as Netflix, Amazon Prime Video and Disney+. These platforms will, for the first time, be held to content standards similar to those already in place for traditional broadcasters. That includes rules around harmful and offensive content, fairness and privacy, and due impartiality and due accuracy in news.[1]

Alongside this, we are consulting on a proposed new Code setting strict new accessibility requirements for streaming services. This will ensure that more than 18 million people with disabilities impacting their sight or hearing can enjoy this content using subtitles, audio description and signing.

Consistent protections however audiences choose to watch

Historically, streaming services have not been regulated to the same standard as traditional broadcasters[2] leaving viewers with inconsistent protections when watching across different platforms. Some streamers - including Netflix - which are not based in the UK, have fallen outside Ofcom's regulation entirely, even though they target and profit from UK audiences.

Our proposed new content standards Code for 'Tier 1' streaming services broadly mirrors the UK's existing broadcasting rules, but is tailored to reflect the differences between traditional, scheduled broadcast TV and on-demand content.

Streaming services must, under our proposals, comply with existing requirements for all on-demand services, as well a range of supplementary Tier 1 rules set out under the draft new Code.

Our draft Code covers, among other things:

Protection of under 18s: Services will be required to comply with existing obligations to protect young audiences from material which may be harmful to them. Our proposed new Code also includes enhanced protections focused on preserving the welfare and legal rights of under-18s who appear in programmes.

Harm and offence: Our proposed rules do not prohibit potentially harmful or offensive material. They will, however, require services to provide adequate protection to viewers from potential harm, and offence to be justified by context - with emphasis on enabling informed viewing choices through clear content information and warnings. We are also proposing to require exceptional editorial justification for including explicit detail about novel or unusual suicide methods.

Crime, disorder, hatred and abuse: We propose rules to supplement the existing requirements on incitement to crime/disorder, abusive treatment and portrayals of criminal techniques and proceedings.

Due impartiality and due accuracy: Our proposed rules for news largely carry over those already set out in the Broadcasting Code. For non-news content - including current affairs programmes - we propose to adapt the relevant impartiality requirements for the on-demand environment, such as maintaining giving services the flexibility to maintain due impartiality across multiple programmes.

Fairness and privacy: We are proposing to maintain the same level of protection of individuals or organisations from unfair treatment or unwarranted infringement of privacy in content on streaming services as we do for linear broadcast content.

Making streaming accessible for all

While broadcasters have long been required to make their TV channels accessible to disabled people, there has historically been no equivalent obligation on streaming services. To ensure that disabled people aren't being left behind, the Media Act also introduced new accessibility requirements for the larger streaming services. This includes new quotas for subtitling, audio description and signing.

Ofcom has today published its draft accessibility Code for major streaming services, setting out how we expect them to meet their new requirements. Services must, as a minimum, subtitle 80% of their catalogue, audio describe 10% and provide signing for 5%. Poor quality access features will not count towards quotas.

Our Code also sets out how we expect services to meet their obligations to keep audiences informed about their accessibility features, and how they must report annually on their quality and usability.

Cristina Nicolotti Squires, Ofcom's Group Director for Broadcasting and Media, said: "Audiences today want to watch great content across different on-demand platforms with the same reassurance and confidence they have when viewing traditional broadcast television.

"Our proposed new content standards Code for the largest and most popular streaming services will, for the first time, deliver the clear and consistent protections that audiences need and expect. We're also making sure that people with sight and hearing conditions can also enjoy popular streaming content by setting strong new accessibility requirements."

What happens next?

Our consultations give audiences, broadcasters and streaming services the opportunity to share their views on our proposed Codes, which must be submitted by 7 August 2026. Taking this feedback into account, we expect to publish the final Codes later this year.

We are also today calling for evidence to inform our approach to investigating possible breaches of the content standards Code for streaming services. Once the final Codes have been published, we will formally consult on these new investigation procedures, including the process for how people can bring complaints under the new rules to Ofcom.

Notes to editors

1. Under the Media Act, the 'Tier 1' services that will have to follow these Codes are defined by the Government as those with more than 500,000 UK users. Services used by ITV, Channel 4, Channel 5, S4C and STV to stream PSB content will also come under Tier 1 regulation. BBC iPlayer is not a Tier 1 service. It is already, and will continue to be, regulated under the Broadcasting Code. However we are also proposing to apply the new Tier 1 Accessibility Code to relevant BBC UK public on demand services.
2. At the moment, all On-Demand services in the UK must follow the On-Demand Programme Service Rules. These reflect statutory duties that will continue to apply to all On-Demand services, including Tier 1 services.