How online business models contribute to children’s exposure to harmful content

Children are increasingly exposed to harmful online content, including violent, sexual, and self-harm material. While this is often viewed as a failure of moderation, the root cause is largely economic. Online platforms operate on a business model that prioritises user attention above all else, with recommendation algorithms designed to maximise engagement regardless of the content’s value or safety. This attention-driven model, often funded through advertising, incentivises emotionally charged material that provokes fear, outrage, or shock. For children, whose emotional and social development is still ongoing, exposure to such content can have particularly harmful effects. Platforms respond to engagement signals, creating feedback loops that further amplify harmful material. Scholars argue that removing individual posts is insufficient; the underlying economic incentives that drive engagement must be addressed. Advertising sits at the core of this ecosystem, funding data collection, recommendation systems, and engagement optimisation. Although advertisers rarely intend harm, the system inherently rewards content that captures attention, even if harmful. Increasing regulatory scrutiny, including the UK’s Online Safety Act, is shedding light on these practices. The debate now is shifting from blaming users to examining systemic incentives and exploring business models that prioritise wellbeing alongside innovation. Understanding how advertising, data, and algorithms interact is crucial to building a safer digital environment for children.