Ofcom Unveils Romance-Scam Training Game and Strengthens Online Safety Rules
Ofcom has rolled out multiple initiatives to bolster online safety, including online romance fraud. The telecoms regulator introduced a new “serious game” to help users spot romance scams and opened a consultation on additional Online Safety Act measures, alongside updating its compliance guidance for digital platforms. Each effort targets a different aspect of harm prevention, from consumer education to stronger platform duties, in an effort to make users more protected from (and aware of) romance scams.
The romance-fraud game is the centerpiece of Ofcom’s latest research on scam prevention. In a large randomized trial of 4,201 UK adults, participants who played the interactive game showed significantly better skills at detecting online romance scams than those who only received text guidance or no intervention. Designed like a dating-app simulator, the game has players swipe through realistic profiles and chat with potential matches. It challenges users to spot subtle scam “red flags” in the profiles, reinforcing learning through immediate feedback. Crucially, the game’s benefits persisted: players retained heightened scam-detection ability even four weeks later.
Ofcom has also opened a public consultation (open until 20 October 2025) on enhancing its online safety codes under the Online Safety Act, with proposals aimed at curbing illicit content and better protecting children. For example, Ofcom would require platforms to dampen the viral spread of illegal material by adjusting recommendation algorithms and strengthening crisis-response protocols. It also calls for expanded use of proactive detection tools – for instance, hash-matching known illegal images and automated scanning to flag harmful content. Key focus has been placed on protecting children, both through more effective age verification requirements and stronger efforts against CSAM (Child Sexual Abuse Material) content.
Alongside this, Ofcom has published draft guidance to help digital service providers comply with new fee notification rules under the UK’s Online Safety Act. Earlier this year, Ofcom also launched a separate consultation on how platforms should calculate their QWR (Qualifying Worldwide Revenue). Under the new system, certain platforms must report details of their regulated services and global revenue to help calculate fees. The associated regulations were laid before Parliament on 26 June 2025 and are expected to take effect around 14 September 2025.
