Ofcom Criticizes TikTok and YouTube Over Child Safety
Ofcom has issued a critical report stating that TikTok and YouTube's content feeds remain "not safe enough" for children. This follows the regulator's call for enhanced measures to protect children online. Meanwhile, Meta, Snap, and Roblox have each committed to stronger anti-grooming initiatives.
Ofcom also indicated it would raise concerns with the government regarding platforms' ineffective enforcement of minimum age restrictions. The government is currently consulting on a potential ban of social media use for under-16s, with the consultation period nearing its end.
YouTube responded by emphasizing its collaboration with child safety experts to deliver "industry-leading, age-appropriate" experiences for children. TikTok expressed disappointment that Ofcom did not acknowledge its existing safety features.
Details of Ofcom's Report and Platform Responses
The report evaluates how five major social media and video platforms have responded to Ofcom's demands for enhanced child protections. It highlights that TikTok and YouTube notably failed to commit to significant changes aimed at reducing harmful content exposure to children, asserting their current feeds are already safe.
Ofcom stated,
"Our wealth of evidence, published today, suggests they are still not safe enough."
In their defense, TikTok and YouTube pointed to existing safety measures, such as TikTok disabling direct messaging for users under 16 and YouTube's short-form video timer feature, which allows parents to set limits on the Shorts feed.
Social media consultant Matt Navarra noted this criticism reflects a shift in addressing online harms, moving from focusing on content removal speed to questioning why harmful content is shown to children initially. He said,
"The old debate was, 'did the platform remove harmful content quickly enough?' - the new one has shifted towards, 'why did the platform show it to a child in the first place?'"
Ofcom Chief Executive Dame Melanie Dawes expressed deep concern that companies continue to neglect necessary actions to prevent underage children from accessing their platforms.
A regulator survey found that 84% of children aged 8 to 12 still use at least one major service with a minimum age requirement of 13. Ofcom warned that stronger legislation might be required to address this issue effectively.
Online safety researcher Professor Victoria Baines described the findings as "unsurprising," citing limited success in removing under-16 accounts in Australia following its social media ban. She suggested platforms might need to rely more on behavioral data—such as user interactions and conversations—to verify age compliance. She stated,
"It may be that some platforms will have to use more behavioural data - what a user is watching, engaging with, and chatting about - to determine whether they really are above the minimum age."
Grooming Risks and Platform Commitments
Ofcom's report also highlighted positive changes made by Snap, Roblox, and Meta aimed at reducing grooming risks.
Snap, owner of Snapchat, agreed to block adult strangers from contacting children by default in the UK, discourage children from adding unknown people, and implement "highly effective" age verification checks by this summer.
A Snapchat spokesperson stated these measures would be introduced while maintaining privacy protections and allowing users to stay connected with real friends and family.
The report noted Roblox will enable parents to disable direct chat entirely for users under 16. Meta plans to hide teenagers' Instagram connection lists by default and develop AI tools to detect potentially sexualized conversations in direct messages.
Andy Burrows, chief executive of the Molly Rose Foundation, a UK-based online safety charity, welcomed the report but criticized big tech platforms as "complacent and evasive when it comes to protecting children from preventable harm." He added,
"Ofcom will be judged by how quickly it can reduce exposure to online harm. A stronger regulator must be accompanied by a conditional ban on personalised algorithms that continue to push out a tsunami of harmful content to teens."
Ofcom emphasized that these commitments must be implemented promptly and effectively, warning it will take action if platforms fail to deliver.
The Social Media Ban Debate
The UK government's consultation on banning social media use for under-16s is set to close on 26 May, with a government response expected in the summer.
On Thursday, the Education Committee published its response to the consultation, advocating for a ban on social media for under-16s. The committee also called for urgent measures to limit features designed to encourage excessive screen time among under-18s.
However, the committee emphasized that a ban should be considered only a starting point for improving online safety.
The committee's chair, Helen Hayes MP, told the BBC,
"The Education Committee's recent report is clear - social media firms cannot be relied upon to self-regulate."
She continued,
"Until the safety of children and young people comes before commercial incentives, they will continue to be exposed to the worst of social media and online harms. We need a total reset."
Hayes added,
"Only a statutory ban on social media for under-16s, as well as restrictions on addictive and high-risk features for under-18s, will keep children safe from harm."
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