{
  "url": "https://openlegislation.uk/online-safety-act-2023/schedule-12/paragraph-18",
  "json_url": "https://openlegislation.uk/online-safety-act-2023/schedule-12/paragraph-18.json",
  "legislation": "ukpga/2023/50",
  "legislation_title": "Online Safety Act 2023",
  "legislation_url": "https://openlegislation.uk/online-safety-act-2023",
  "path": "schedule/12/paragraph/18",
  "kind": "paragraph",
  "number": "18",
  "heading": "Offences",
  "text": "(1) A person commits an offence if—\n(a) the person intentionally obstructs a person acting under this Schedule;\n(b) the person fails, without reasonable excuse, to comply with any requirement imposed by a person acting under this Schedule;\n(c) in response to a requirement imposed by a person acting under this Schedule, the person provides information that is false in a material respect, knowing that it is false in a material respect or being reckless as to whether it is false in a material respect.\n(2) A person who commits an offence under this paragraph is liable—\n(a) on summary conviction in England and Wales, to imprisonment for a term not exceeding the general limit in a magistrates’ court or a fine (or both);\n(b) on summary conviction in Scotland, to imprisonment for a term not exceeding 12 months or a fine not exceeding the statutory maximum (or both);\n(c) on summary conviction in Northern Ireland, to imprisonment for a term not exceeding 6 months or a fine not exceeding the statutory maximum (or both);\n(d) on conviction on indictment, to imprisonment for a term not exceeding 2 years or a fine (or both).",
  "extent": "E+W+S+N.I.",
  "status": null,
  "version": "current",
  "annotations": [
    {
      "type": "I",
      "label": "I1",
      "text": "Sch. 12 para. 18 not in force at Royal Assent, see s. 240(1)"
    },
    {
      "type": "I",
      "label": "I2",
      "text": "Sch. 12 para. 18 in force at 10.1.2024 by S.I. 2023/1420, reg. 2(z10)"
    }
  ],
  "outstanding_effects": [],
  "provenance": {
    "source": "legislation.gov.uk",
    "source_url": "https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2023/50/schedule/12/paragraph/18",
    "retrieved_at": "2026-11-07T03:34:44.494627+00:00"
  },
  "licence": "Open Government Licence v3.0",
  "licence_url": "https://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence/version/3/",
  "attribution": "Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Source: legislation.gov.uk, The National Archives."
}