Summary
Ofcom, the media regulator, has made new rules to keep children safer when they go on the internet. If a company breaks these rules, they might get a big fine or not be allowed to work in the UK anymore.
Key Facts
- Ofcom found out that 59% of kids between 13 and 17 saw bad stuff online in the past month.
- The new rules start on July 25, 2025 and apply to social media, search and game websites and apps.
- These rules aim to protect kids from seeing harmful things about suicide, self-harm, eating problems, and bad material that's harmful to women or promoting violence and hate speech.
- Also, companies have to be stricter about checking if a user is under 18 and remove harmful material more quickly.
- Each company needs someone who is responsible for keeping kids safe, and they have to review every year how well they are doing this.
- If a company doesn't follow these rules, they can be fined a lot of money or their bosses can go to jail.
- Some people think these rules are not strict enough and want even more safety rules while others say these rules may interfere with people's freedom on the internet.
- As part of these changes, companies also have to show they are committed to removing illegal content, like child sexual abuse, extreme violence, promoting suicide or self-harm, selling drugs or weapons, and promoting terrorism.
