Ofcom has announced that they are demanding stronger protections for children from some of the world’s most popular online platforms.
The move comes as Ofcom intensifies their enforcement of the Online Safety Act, with major platforms now required to demonstrate how they will enforce minimum age requirements, prevent grooming, improve algorithmic safety for young users and ensure new technologies are properly assessed before being deployed.
How Are Platforms Protecting Children?
Services including Facebook, Instagram, Roblox, Snapchat, TikTok and YouTube have been asked to explain what steps they are taking to better protect children on their services. The companies have until the end of April to respond, with Ofcom expected to publish an update on progress in May.
David Wright CBE of SWGfL said: ‘’This reflects a growing recognition that voluntary commitments from the technology sector are not enough on their own. Parents, educators and young people have heard promises from technology companies for many years. What matters now is clear, demonstrable action that shows children’s safety is being designed into platforms from the start.’’
Regulation Backed by Enforcement
Research continues to show that large numbers of children under 13 are accessing platforms that technically prohibit their use. This new announcement highlights the urgent need for effective age assurance and stronger enforcement of minimum age policies. However, regulation must be backed by meaningful consequences if companies fail to meet their responsibilities.
David Wright continues: “Regulation only works if it is enforced. The Online Safety Act sets clear expectations for companies operating in the UK. Where platforms fail to comply or continue to expose children to preventable harms, enforcement action and real consequences are essential.”
The Problem with Complexity
While stronger regulation and improved platform protections are essential, it is increasingly clear to us that the current landscape of parental safety tools is too complex for many parents to manage. Platforms like Apple’s Family Sharing, Google’s Family Link, and Microsoft’s parental controls all offer useful features. Yet, parents must manage them independently across multiple devices and platforms, which rarely integrate. Through our Unboxing Project, focused on making these existing tools more accessible, we’ve seen how challenging it remains.
Unboxing uses what’s already available today, helping families navigate and utilise these tools. But as we’ve highlighted, these systems don’t connect. In the longer term, we believe that interoperability, where parental controls across devices and services work together, is essential. Simplifying today’s tools is our immediate goal, but the long-term vision is a future where parents don’t have to juggle fragmented controls, they simply work in concert, reducing complexity and improving safety.
The coming months will be an important milestone in how effective the Online Safety Act holds platforms accountable. Ofcom’s planned report on the responses from major platforms will provide one of the first clear indications of whether the law is beginning to drive genuine change across the sector.
