In the News

“A major reset of the internet to make it much safer”

Father of Molly Russell claims the risks for teenagers ‘have actually got worse’ and calls for tech giants to do more to protect children

Ofcom has published its proposals on how social media platforms will be expected to protect children in future.

Ofcom, the UK's communications regulator, has issued a stern warning to social media platforms, cautioning them that they could face a ban for under-18s if they do not adhere to the new online safety regulations.

Ofcom is cracking down on Instagram, YouTube and 150,000 other web services to improve child safety online. A new Children’s Safety Code from the U.K. Internet regulator will push tech firms to run better age checks, filter and downrank content, and apply around 40 other steps

Two mothers who believe their children died as a result of copying dangerous social media challenges say they feel "belittled" by Ofcom over its failure to listen to grieving parents.

Social media platforms have been told to take action to stop pushing harmful content to children with algorithms, Ofcom has said.

Children under six are being manipulated into “disturbing” acts of sexual abuse while parents think they are playing safely on household devices, as a new report highlights the need for more protections online.

Nearly a quarter of UK five-to-seven-year-olds now have their own smartphone, Ofcom research suggests.

LabHost enabled users to set up websites designed to trick victims into revealing personal information – with 70,000 allegedly duped in the UK

TikTok has been given 24 hours to respond to the European Commission over a version of the app which pays users for viewing videos.

"I'd say that in the last nine months it's become next to impossible for even the best experts to tell real versus AI generated. We need a software solution to do this,"

A report by the Public Accounts Committee points out that Ofcom will be unable to act on individual complaints or notify users if any action has been taken.

A headteacher discusses the downsides of the pressure to achieve high grades in Japan and how students are taught to guard against risky online behaviour

Bradford schoolchildren have been learning about digital footprints and online safety while playing with LEGO bricks.

Police could lose most of the reports they receive about children at risk on Facebook because of a move to encrypt the platform, the National Crime Agency (NCA) has said.

Australia’s online safety regulator has released new draft industry standards under the Online Content Scheme, while the government has commenced consultation on proposed changes to the Basic Online Safety Expectations

The Facebook and Instagram owner is miles ahead of the competition, say regulators, who suggest that could change when it rolls out default end-to-end encryption for Messenger

As the Online Safety Bill finally enters the statue books, here's everything you need to know about the long-awaited legislation - including why its backers are so desperate for it to arrive, and its critics have been so concerned.

Snapchat has been accused of a "worrying failure" to assess the potential privacy risks its AI chatbot poses to users - especially children - by the UK's data watchdog.