Safety measures to protect children from 'toxic algorithms'

Aine Fox, The Independent

A generation of children will no longer be "at the mercy of toxic algorithms", the Technology Secretary has declared, as new online safety protections officially came into force. Peter Kyle stated that the government was laying the foundations for a "safer, healthier, more humane online world", issuing a stern warning to tech firms that they "will be held to account" if they fail to adhere to the new measures. The changes, enacted as part of the Online Safety Act and set to be enforced by regulator Ofcom, mandate that online platforms hosting pornography or other harmful content — such as material related to self-harm, suicide, or eating disorders — must implement robust age checks.

These can include facial age estimation or credit card verification. Furthermore, platforms are now required to ensure their algorithms do not actively harm children by, for example, pushing such content towards them. Companies found to be non-compliant face severe penalties, including fines of up to £18 million or 10 per cent of their qualifying worldwide revenue, whichever sum is greater. Court orders that could block access to these platforms in the UK are also a potential consequence.

Campaigners have underscored the critical need for strict enforcement, with the NSPCC urging Ofcom to "show its teeth" if companies fail to make the necessary changes in line with the regulator's child protection codes. But the Molly Rose Foundation — set up by bereaved father Ian Russell after his 14-year-old daughter Molly took her own life having viewed harmful content on social media — said there is a "lack of ambition and accountability" in the measures, and accused the regulator of choosing to "prioritise the business needs of big tech over children's safety". Mr Kyle insisted the Government has "drawn a line in the sand" and that the codes will bring real change.

He said: "This Government has taken one of the boldest steps anywhere in the world to reclaim the digital space for young people — to lay the foundations for a safer, healthier, more humane place online. "We cannot — and will not — allow a generation of children to grow up at the mercy of toxic algorithms, pushed to see harmful content they would never be exposed to offline. This is not the internet we want for our children, nor the future we are willing to accept." He said the time for tech platforms "to look the other way is over", calling on them to "act now to protect our children, follow the law, and play their part in creating a better digital world". He warned: "And let me be clear: if they fail to do so, they will be held to account. I will not hesitate to go further and legislate to ensure that no child is left unprotected."

Ofcom chief executive Dame Melanie Dawes has previously defended criticism of the reforms, insisting that tech firms are not being given much power over the new measures, which will apply across the UK. Dame Melanie said: "Prioritising clicks and engagement over children's online safety will no longer be tolerated in the UK. "Our message to tech firms is clear — comply with age checks and other protection measures set out in our codes, or face the consequences of enforcement action from Ofcom." The regulator said X, formerly Twitter, and others including Bluesky, Reddit and dating app Grindr are among those to have committed to age assurances, and described its safety codes as demanding that algorithms "must be tamed and configured for children so that the most harmful material is blocked".

It said it has launched a monitoring and impact programme focused on some of the platforms where children spend most time including social media sites Facebook, Instagram and TikTok, gaming site Roblox and video clip website YouTube. The sites are among those which have been asked to submit, by August 7, a review of their efforts to assess risks to children and, by September 30, scrutiny of the practical actions they are taking to keep children safe. Chris Sherwood, chief executive at the NSPCC, said: "Children, and their parents, must not solely bear the responsibility of keeping themselves safe online. It's high time for tech companies to step up." He said if enforcement is "strong", the codes should offer a "vital layer of protection" for children and young people when they go online, adding: "If tech companies fail to comply, Ofcom must show its teeth and fully enforce the new codes".

Echoing this, Barnardo's children's charity said the changes are "an important stepping stone" but "must be robustly enforced". England's Children's Commissioner, Dame Rachel de Souza, said Friday "marks a new era of change in how children can be protected online, with tech companies now needing to identify and tackle the risks to children on their platforms or face consequences", and said the measures must keep pace with emerging technology to make them effective in the future. But Andy Burrows, chief executive of the Molly Rose Foundation, said: "This should be a watershed moment for young people but instead we've been let down by a regulator that has chosen to prioritise the business needs of big tech over children's safety."