UK Regulator Introduces New Online Safety Measures to Protect Children

The UK’s media regulator, Ofcom, has finalized and published its ‘Children’s Codes’, a set of legal requirements aimed at improving online safety for children. These rules, forming part of the Online Safety Act, demand that tech companies implement stronger age verification processes and adjust algorithms to prevent harmful content from reaching young users. Platforms that feature adult content or promote self-harm, suicide, or eating disorders must take active measures to restrict access to minors. Ofcom Chief Dame Melanie Dawes emphasized the legal authority of the codes and warned non-compliant firms of possible fines or even being blocked in the UK. Critics, including Ian Russell of the Molly Rose Foundation, expressed disappointment in the measures’ scope. Nonetheless, experts like Prof. Victoria Baines view this as a step forward, as tech companies begin dedicating resources to child safety. The regulations mandate over 40 practical steps such as offering children the ability to decline group chat invites, providing clear terms of service, and annual risk reviews by senior management. While the NSPCC welcomed the guidelines, it urged Ofcom to address encrypted private messaging more thoroughly. Discussions around a possible curfew for under-16s on social media are ongoing.