WIREDGOV

On 18 July 2025, Ofcom published a new consultation seeking views on draft guidance designed to help regulated services calculate their Qualifying Worldwide Revenue (QWR) – a key metric used to determine fees and penalties under the Online Safety Act 2023. 

The consultation provides high-level guidance and principles intended to support providers of regulated online services (such as social media, search, and pornography platforms) in determining their QWR. This figure is central to assessing whether a provider is liable to pay fees to Ofcom, how much they must pay, and what their maximum financial penalties could be in the event of non-compliance. 

What the consultation sets out: 

• A framework of principles that providers are expected to follow when calculating QWR, such as consistency, transparency, and accuracy. 
• Examples of potential approaches to revenue apportionment and what might be considered ‘just and reasonable’ under the proposed regime. 
• Ofcom’s intended approach to updating and evolving this guidance over time, and how it will interact with future consultations on notification processes and charging principles. 
• A reminder of the regulator’s enforcement powers where QWR is not submitted, or where calculations are disputed. 

This consultation follows Ofcom’s earlier policy statement on Online Safety Fees and Penalties and forms part of a broader package of implementation guidance expected later in 2025. 

The deadline for responses is 5pm on Wednesday 10 September 2025. 

techUK encourages all relevant stakeholders to engage with the consultation and consider how the proposed guidance might impact their reporting obligations. 

Read and respond to the consultation on Ofcom’s website 

techUK response:

If you are interested in feeding into a techUK response to the consultation, or have any questions, please contact Samiah (Samiah.Anderson@techuk.org), or another member of the team.