TikTok, YouTube under fire as UK regulator ramps up child safety pressure
Synopsis
TikTok and YouTube are facing renewed scrutiny in the UK after regulator Ofcom accused the platforms of failing to do enough to protect children from harmful online content.
TikTok and YouTube are facing mounting pressure in the United Kingdom after media regulator Ofcom accused both platforms of failing to introduce meaningful new safeguards to protect children online. The watchdog said recommendation algorithms on the platforms continue exposing millions of young users to harmful content despite growing global concern around social media safety and addictive platform design.
Key highlights
- Ofcom says TikTok and YouTube safety measures remain inadequate
- Personalised recommendation feeds identified as the biggest source of harmful content exposure
- Snap, Meta and Roblox have agreed to tougher child safety protections
- UK government considering stricter social media rules for under-16s
- Ofcom urges stronger enforcement of online age restrictions
- Elon Musk’s X also faces ongoing scrutiny over harmful content moderation
Ofcom says recommendation feeds remain unsafe
According to Ofcom, personalised content feeds remain the primary pathway through which children encounter harmful material online.
Research conducted by the regulator found that 73% of children aged between 11 and 17 were exposed to harmful content over a four-week period. TikTok was identified most frequently, followed by YouTube, Instagram and Snapchat.
Ofcom said both TikTok and Alphabet-owned YouTube argued their current safety systems were sufficient.
However, the regulator said evidence suggests their recommendation systems “are still not safe enough” for younger users.
UK considers tougher social media restrictions
The findings add momentum to growing political pressure in Britain to tighten online safety rules for children.
Prime Minister Keir Starmer has called on social media companies to take greater responsibility for protecting younger users from harmful and addictive online experiences.
Britain is currently consulting on stricter measures, including a potential ban on social media use for children under 16, an approach inspired by Australia’s recent crackdown on youth social media access.
The government is also examining ways to curb addictive platform features and improve age verification systems.
Rival platforms commit to stronger protections
While TikTok and YouTube drew criticism, several competing platforms have agreed to strengthen safeguards following earlier demands from Ofcom.
Snap plans to block adult strangers from contacting children by default and expand age verification checks in the UK.
Meta has pledged additional controls for teen accounts alongside new artificial intelligence tools aimed at identifying suspicious interactions.
Meanwhile, Roblox will introduce parental controls allowing direct messaging to be disabled for users under 16.
Age enforcement remains a major concern
Ofcom warned that existing minimum-age rules are still being poorly enforced across major digital platforms.
The regulator said 84% of children aged between eight and 12 were using services officially restricted to users aged 13 and above.
It also highlighted the enormous reach of social media platforms among children, noting that 95% of young users engage with at least one social media or video-sharing service.
YouTube was used by 67% of children surveyed, while TikTok reached 60%.
Ofcom said current legislation does not clearly require companies to prevent underage users from accessing their platforms and urged lawmakers to strengthen legal obligations.
X and Grok chatbot also under review
Separately, X has agreed to increase enforcement efforts against illegal hate speech and extremist content.
The company said it would review such content within 24 hours on average and provide quarterly moderation data to Ofcom.
The regulator is also continuing to examine X’s AI chatbot Grok after concerns were raised earlier this year over the generation of sexualised images despite warning systems being in place.
FAQs
Q1: Why is Ofcom criticising TikTok and YouTube?
Ofcom says both platforms have failed to introduce meaningful new safety measures to better protect children from harmful online content.
Q2: What harmful content are children being exposed to?
The regulator said personalised recommendation feeds are exposing children to harmful and inappropriate material across social media and video-sharing platforms.
Q3: Is the UK considering banning social media for children?
Britain is consulting on stricter online safety measures, including a possible ban on social media use for under-16s.
Q4: Which companies agreed to stronger protections?
Snap, Meta and Roblox have all committed to introducing additional child safety measures in response to Ofcom’s demands.
Q5: What concerns does Ofcom have about age verification?
The regulator says many underage children are still accessing platforms designed for users aged 13 and older, highlighting weak enforcement of minimum-age rules.
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