Online Safety Act

Freedom of Information (FOI) Act request ref: 01/FOI/25/008326/S

Version Date: 01/07/2025

The number of individuals who have been arrested by officers from your force on suspicion of breaking Section 179 (005/28) and/or Section 181 (138/52) of The Online Safety Act since it received Royal Assent on 26 October 2023 up to the present date.

If you could kindly list the number of arrests for each year that would be greatly appreciated.

The Performance & Analysis Department have provided the following information.

Data Source

Force custody recording system - NSPIS/NICHE Custody

Data Processing:

Qliksense Detainee Management Report

Filtered on Arrest Date: 26 Oct 2023 - 4 June 2025

Filtered on Arrest Offences

196/07 Send false message by public electronic communication network to cause annoyance, inconvenience or anxiety (recordable)

196/07 Cause to be sent by public communication network a false message to cause annoyance / inconvenience / anxiety (recordable)

138/52 Send false communication with intent to cause harm (recordable) and

008/72 Send letter / communication / article conveying a threatening message (recordable)

005/28 Send communication threatening death or serious harm (recordable)

Caveats/Limitations

005/28: From the 31st January 2024, this offence (Send communication threatening death or serious harm (recordable)) replaces that previously provided for by section 1(1)(a)(ii) of the Malicious Communications Act 1988 (H12180 - send letter / communication / article conveying a threatening message).

138/52: (i) From the 31st January 2024, this offence ( Send false communication with intent to cause harm (recordable)) replaces that under section 1(1)(a)(iii) of the Malicious Communications Act 1988 (see H12181 - send letter / communication / article conveying false information) and that under section 127(2)(a) and (b) of the Communications Act 2003 (see H5557 - send false message by public electronic communication network to cause annoyance, inconvenience or anxiety, and causing such a message to be sent, H5558).                

Data