Know the Facts: Online Safety and Media Regulation Act 2022 (OSMR Act)
Official Source Link: Read Here
Status & Jurisdiction: Enacted - Ireland
Target Organisations: Designated Video-Sharing Platforms, Online Content Hosts & Digital Media Providers
Compliance Ranking: 🔴 Level 3 (see here)
1. Key Takeaways
Established Coimisiún na Meán: Dissolved the Broadcasting Authority of Ireland (BAI) and established Coimisiún na Meán (Ireland's media regulator) giving it regulatory powers over digital content.
Binding Online Safety Codes: Authorises regulators to issue binding safety codes targeting cyberbullying, self-harm and illegal content.
Individual Criminal Liability: Includes provisions for individual officer liability and fines of up to €20 million.
2. What is the OSMR Act 2022?
It transposed the EU Audio-Visual Media Services Directive (Directive (EU) 2018/1808)into Irish law. It creates a robust national regulatory framework to hold online services accountable for harmful content hosted on their platforms.
Since many major global tech platforms have their European headquarters in Ireland, this Act places Coimisiún na Meán in a central regulatory position across Europe.
3. Regulatory & Financial Impact on Businesses
Direct Obligations: In-scope platforms must implement age-assurance systems, robust complaint-handling channels and content-moderation systems aligned with Coimisiún na Meán safety codes.
Indirect Supply Chain Pressures: AdTech networks and commercial content partners must audit platform compliance to avoid running campaigns adjacent to flagged harmful content.
Penalties for Non-Compliance: Non-compliance carries administrative financial penalties of up to €20 million or 10% of total annual turnover, as well as potential service blocking orders.
4. Implementation Timeline & Key Dates
15 March 2023 - Act commenced and Coimisiún na Meán was officially established.
21 October 2024 - Coimisiún na Meán adopted binding Online Safety Codes for Video-Sharing Platforms - read here.
