WorldThe GuardianUK children just as likely to have suffered harm on social media despite crackdown
UK regulators admit their landmark online safety laws have done almost nothing to reduce the harmful content children see on social media.
Campaigners call lack of progress ‘staggering’, as Ofcom also admits little change in severity of harm to children encountering unsafe content
Ofcom found the proportion of UK children encountering harmful social media content was almost unchanged nine months after strict new safety duties took effect.
Ofcom said personalised recommendation algorithms, the for-you feeds on TikTok and Instagram, were repeatedly found to be at the root of the continuing harm.
Campaigners called the lack of progress staggering, and the findings have been handed to the UK digital secretary, signalling pressure for tougher action.
The rules cover platforms like TikTok and Instagram, so if your child uses either, Ofcom says harmful content including violence and pornography is still reaching kids at the same rate as before.
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