The United Kingdom has unveiled sweeping changes to how major streaming services are regulated, marking a significant shift in media oversight and bringing platforms such as Netflix, Amazon Prime Video and Disney+ within the same regulatory framework as long-established broadcasters like the BBC and ITV. Under new legislation being introduced this week, Britain’s media regulator Ofcom will be given enhanced powers to enforce rules governing content standards, audience protections and accessibility across the biggest video-on-demand services consumed in the country.
For years, streaming giants largely operated outside direct British regulatory oversight, owing in part to the fact that many of them — such as Netflix, which has its European headquarters in Amsterdam — were subject to foreign jurisdiction rather than UK broadcast codes. But with on-demand video now overtaking traditional live television for many viewers, especially younger audiences, the government says the media landscape has fundamentally shifted and that regulation must adapt accordingly. Under the provisions of the Media Act 2024, “Tier 1” services defined as having more than 500,000 users in the UK will now be required to comply with a new video-on-demand standards code closely modelled on the Broadcasting Code.
This new regulatory regime will introduce obligations on major platforms to ensure that news, where offered, is reported accurately and impartially and that audiences are shielded from harmful or offensive material. It will also impose new accessibility requirements designed to benefit viewers with disabilities, including targets for subtitling, audio descriptions and signed content across a significant portion of available catalogues. Providers will have a set period to meet these milestones, with interim deadlines and a formal public consultation on the detailed codes expected to be launched by Ofcom in the coming weeks.
Crucially, Ofcom will be empowered to accept complaints from viewers about content on streaming platforms and to investigate potential breaches of the standards code in much the same way it currently monitors traditional television services. The watchdog will have the authority to impose sanctions where necessary, including fines of up to £250,000 or a percentage of UK revenue for each violation of the rules once they are in force. These measures underline a new era of accountability for digital platforms that have previously enjoyed relative freedom from regulation on this scale.
The government argues that the changes reflect both the realities of modern media consumption and a desire to foster a level playing field across the industry. Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy stated that millions of people now choose to watch video-on-demand alongside or instead of traditional broadcast television, a trend that has eroded the distinction between old and new media formats. With two-thirds of UK households subscribing to at least one major streaming service and a high percentage of the population using on-demand video each month, authorities say the updated framework will better protect citizens and support a vibrant but responsible media sector.
Public service broadcaster on-demand services such as ITVX and Channel 4 will also come under the new regime, though the BBC’s own iPlayer and similar services will initially remain regulated under existing broadcast codes before eventually being incorporated into the new standards framework. The consultation process spearheaded by Ofcom is intended to give both audiences and providers an opportunity to help shape the final rules and ensure they address the varied interests involved in this substantial overhaul.
Overall, the move represents a landmark moment for media regulation in the UK, potentially setting a precedent for how other nations address the growing influence of global streaming platforms and their role in shaping public discourse, cultural consumption and consumer protections in the digital age.
