UK children still harmed on social media despite crackdown
Archived — this story has rotated out of today’s deck. It is kept here in full.
The gist
Ofcom found no significant change in the share of UK children meeting harmful content in nine months.
The finding tests whether Britain's under-16 ban, due spring 2027, can do better.
Background
Ofcom is the UK's online regulator. It reviewed the first nine months of the child-safety duties under the Online Safety Act, a law requiring tech firms to shield children from pornography, serious violence, suicide material, racism, misogyny and bullying. The duties took effect in July 2025, and the government went further in June 2026 by announcing a ban on social media for under-16s, expected to take effect in spring 2027. Ofcom's review, based on a tracking survey of UK children aged 8 to 17, found the share of children encountering harmful content barely moved, and it repeatedly traced the material to personalized 'for you' recommendation feeds.
How it unfolded
- Jul 2025Children's safety duties under the Online Safety Act came into force in the UK.
- Sep 2025Conservative activist Charlie Kirk was shot; some children said they were affected after seeing footage of his death.
- Jun 15, 2026The UK government announced a ban on social media for anyone under 16, with protections expected in spring 2027, after a consultation drew more than 116,000 responses.
- Oct 22, 2026Ofcom released a report assessing whether the government should change the content categories of the 2023 Online Safety Act.
- Oct 23, 2026The Guardian reported Ofcom's review of the first nine months of the child-safety duties, finding no significant change in the proportion of children encountering harmful content.
- Oct 24, 2026Ofcom's findings were reported, including that most UK children said they encountered at least one piece of harmful content online in a four-week period.
Who’s saying what
- Official
- Ofcom said the flat result is 'concerning,' that tech firms need to go 'much further and faster,' and that non-compliant firms can expect enforcement action.
- Caution
- Linda Jardine of Children First called the report a 'stark picture of the overwhelming levels of danger that children face on screens.'
- Public
- Campaigners called the lack of progress 'staggering.'
Still unverified
Florida's 'Safe Screens Act' is a proposal with no bill number or sponsor yet, and it is unclear when the Legislature might vote on it.