TikTok and YouTube 'not safe enough' for kids, confirms Ofcom
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Ofcom has criticised TikTok and YouTube, saying in a new report their content feeds are "not safe enough" for children.
Key facts
A survey by the regulator found 84% of children aged eight to 12 were still using at least one major service with a minimum age of 13, as it warned stronger legislation may be needed
The Education Committee's recent report is clear
social media firms cannot be relied upon to self-regulate," the committee's chair, Helen Hayes MP, told the BBC
On Thursday the Education Committee published its response to the consultation, calling for a ban on social media for under-16s
Andy Burrows, chief executive of Molly Rose Foundation, a UK-based online safety charity, welcomed the report, calling big tech platforms "complacent and evasive when it comes to protecting children
Summary
The findings follow the regulator's call for stronger action on children's online safety, and said Meta, Snap and Roblox had each agreed to stronger anti-grooming measures. Ofcom added it would share concerns that sites were not effectively enforcing minimum age rules with the government, whose consultation on whether to ban social media for under-16s soon ends. YouTube said it worked with child safety experts to provide "industry-leading, age-appropriate" experiences for children. Ofcom's criticism is part of a new report into how five large social media and video platforms responded to its demand for stronger protections for children.