Schedule 3: Timing of providers’ assessments Illegal content duties for all search services Section 26: Illegal content risk assessment duties
This section sets out the risk assessment duties on all providers of regulated search services in relation to illegal content. Providers must carry out a suitable and sufficient risk assessment by the relevant deadline specified in Schedule 3 and keep this up to date.
	Subsection (4) requires the service provider to carry out a further risk assessment before significantly changing the design or operation of the service such that the impact of the proposed change is assessed.
	Subsection (5) lists the factors that the service provider must assess, including several factors relating to the likelihood of users encountering illegal content and the severity of the impact this would have on users. It requires the provider to take into account OFCOM’s risk profiles (published under section 98) relating to the kind of service it provides when doing so.
	The findings of the provider’s risk assessment, including its conclusions about the levels of risk, inform the steps it must take to comply with its safety duties to protect individuals from illegal content under section 27.
	OFCOM have a duty under section 99 to issue guidance to assist service providers with carrying out their risk assessments.