Online regulation changes announced by Ofcom: Strengthened child protection measures for digital platforms instated
Published at 24 Apr 2025
UK Kicks Off Crusade for Child-Friendly Internet with Stringent Digital Regulations
In a monumental step towards creating a safer online realm for UK's youngsters, Ofcom, the UK's communications regulator, has unveiled a robust set of child protection rules under the Online Safety Act. This pivotal moment marks the beginning of a cultural shift in the country's digital landscape.
Described as a game-changer in online safety, the new guidelines sternly impose obligations on online platforms to minimise children's exposure to harmful content and strengthen their online security. Effective from 25 July 2025, these regulations encompass over 40 specific safety requirements, applying to social media platforms, gaming services, search engines, and other internet-based services primarily used by children aged 18 and under.
Addressing the need for change, Ofcom Chief Executive Dame Melanie Dawes stated, "These changes will revolutionise children's online experience. They promise safer social media feeds free of harmful and dangerous content, protection from unwanted contacts, and effective age checks on adult content. Failure to act will result in enforcement."
EATING DISORDERS AND SUICIDE: A MAJOR FOCUS
A crucial aspect of the new rules involves modifying recommendation algorithms to eradicate content related to self-harm, eating disorders, or suicide from children's feeds when algorithms pose a medium or high risk. Ofcom also mandates the swift removal of harmful content once it's identified.
The regulations emphasise empowering children in controlling their digital environment, requiring online services to offer tools for rejecting group chat invitations, blocking or muting other users, and disabling comments on their posts. Additionally, they must provide means for children to indicate content they'd rather not see.
SUPPORT FOR THE VULNERABLE
The new rules also focus on guiding children towards supportive information when they encounter distressing topics like suicide or self-harm. To improve accountability, Ofcom has introduced the need for a robust reporting and complaints procedure, ensuring online platforms provide easily understandable terms of service and respond promptly to user complaints.
CALLS FOR CULTURAL SHIFT
While the new rules are generally applauded, some commentators believe the government could aim higher. Iona Silverman, an intellectual property and media partner at Freeths, remarked, "The government needs to look beyond the current laws to stimulate a cultural shift and ensure legislation moves ahead of, rather than behind, technology."
Silverman further opined, "Presently, many social media sites adopt a 13-year-old age limit, yet the Advertising Standards Authority's 100 Children Report reveals that younger children often lie about their age to access these platforms. This can have detrimental effects on their mental health and contribute to destructive behavior."
GOVERNANCE AND ACCOUNTABILITY
Each service must designate an individual responsible for child safety, and senior management must assess annually how their platform handles risks to children, adapting safety measures as required. Tech companies must complete comprehensive risk assessments of how children interact with their services by 24 July 2025, and then either implement the measures outlined in Ofcom's codes or demonstrate that alternative methods offer equivalent protection.
ENFORCEMENT AND CONSEQUENCES
With greater regulation comes increased litigation potential. Monika Sobiecki, a media partner with law firm Bindmans, observed, "Although there's no specific right to bring civil claims under the Online Safety Act, the codes provide a source of evidence to support future litigation in the event of harm to children."
These measures build upon earlier rules under the Online Safety Act, which aimed to address illegal harms such as child sexual abuse material (CSAM) and grooming. The coming months will see further developments, including proposals for the prohibition of accounts associated with CSAM, crisis protocols for real-time online harms, and AI usage to detect grooming and illegal activities. Additional measures may involve preventing the spread of non-consensual intimate imagery and better regulating livestreaming.
Ofcom's statement concludes, "Children deserve a safer internet. This framework provides the foundation, but our commitment to enhancing child online safety continues."
[1]: https://www.ofcom.org.uk/__data/assets/pdf_file/0019/2207160/Childrens-CODE- stern-warning-letter.pdf
- The new child protection rules unveiled by Ofcom in the UK, under the Online Safety Act, will revolutionize the online experience for minors, providing safer social media feeds free of harmful content and strengthening their online security.
- The regulations require moderation of recommendation algorithms to eradicate content related to eating disorders, self-harm, or suicide from minors' feeds, when such content poses a medium or high risk.
- In addition to this, the new rules mandate online services to offer tools for minors to reject group chat invitations, block or mute other users, and indicate content they'd rather not see.
- To improve support for the vulnerable, the regulations mandate online platforms to guide children towards supportive information when they encounter distressing topics like suicide or self-harm.
- The new policies focus on accountability, with tech companies required to complete comprehensive child-risk assessments, designate individuals responsible for child safety, and adapt safety measures as needed. Failure to act will result in enforcement.
