- Streaming services could face fines of £250,000 or 5 per cent of revenue.
- New Ofcom code will require accuracy in news and stronger audience protections.
- Rules will apply to platforms with more than 500,000 UK users.
Major platforms including Netflix and Amazon Prime Video could face financial penalties under new Ofcom streaming regulation UK rules designed to tighten oversight of video-on-demand services and strengthen protections for audiences.
Under the changes, streaming regulation UK will require large platforms to follow a new standards code covering issues such as harmful content, accuracy in news and audience protection, bringing them closer to the rules long applied to traditional broadcasters.
The regulations will allow viewers to lodge complaints directly with Ofcom, which will have the power to fine companies up to £250,000 or 5 per cent of revenues if they breach the code once it is finalised following a public consultation.
The rules will apply to streaming services with more than 500,000 users in the UK, affecting major US platforms such as Netflix, Amazon Prime Video and Disney+, as well as on-demand services run by British broadcasters including ITV and Channel 4.
The move is widely seen as part of a broader effort to bring streaming platforms in line with traditional TV regulation, as viewing habits continue to shift away from live broadcasting.
Ofcom research suggests two thirds of UK households subscribe to at least one of the major streaming platforms, while around 85 per cent of people use an on-demand service each month compared with 67 per cent who watch live television.
Controversies and changing viewing habits
Streaming services have faced criticism in the past over certain programmes. Netflix drew complaints from mental health campaigners over its series 13 Reasons Why, while true crime and historical dramas such as The Crown have also sparked debate over accuracy.
Disney has also faced scrutiny over dramas linked to sensitive historical events, including stories set during the Troubles in Northern Ireland and productions linked to the aftermath of the July 7 attacks in London.
The new rules will not apply to YouTube, which is treated as a video-sharing platform and regulated under separate online safety laws.
Alongside content standards, platforms will also be required to meet accessibility targets for disabled viewers, including ensuring at least 80 per cent of catalogues are subtitled, 10 per cent audio-described and 5 per cent signed.
Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy said viewing habits have fundamentally changed and the updated framework is intended to strengthen protections and create a level playing field, as quoted in a news report.
A Netflix spokesperson said the company has supported the introduction of the Media Act and continues to focus on delivering a safe viewing experience with parental controls and age ratings, reportedly said in a news report.
The changes form part of wider efforts to modernise broadcasting rules as more viewers, particularly younger audiences, move away from traditional TV towards streaming platforms, though how strictly the new standards will be enforced remains to be seen.
