UK brings streaming giants like Netflix, Amazon and Disney+ under broadcaster-style regulation

The UK government announced new regulatory requirements that will bring major video-on-demand (VoD) platforms under tighter oversight by Ofcom, aligning them more closely with traditional television broadcasters.

The changes are part of implementing the Media Act 2024 and mark one of the most significant shifts in how online streaming services are governed in the UK.

Under plans laid out by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport, VoD services with more than 500,000 average monthly UK users, including Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, Disney+, ITVX and Channel 4’s on-demand service, will be designated as Tier 1 services and required to comply with a new VoD accessibility code.

The new accessibility code will introduce minimum standards around subtitles, audio description, and signing for content on these platforms. According to government guidance, services must ensure at least:

• 80 percent of their total catalogue is subtitled.
• 10 percent has audio description for ...