New, strengthened Online Safety Act needed to protect children, charity says
1 month, 4 weeks ago

New, strengthened Online Safety Act needed to protect children, charity says

The Independent  

Sign up for the View from Westminster email for expert analysis straight to your inbox Get our free View from Westminster email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. “Almost seven years after Molly’s death, we urgently need ministers to finish the job, with a strengthened Online Safety Act that makes clear measurable harm reduction is the North Star of this regime,” he said. “Ofcom has so far failed to grasp the nettle and respond decisively to preventable online harm.” The charity’s chief executive, Andy Burrows, said: “By committing to strengthen the Online Safety Act, ministers can give confidence to parents and the country at large that credible, effective and decisive change is on the way. While we’ve already seen some tech firms taking steps in the right direction, once the new duties start to come into force from December, they’ll have to do far more Ofcom spokesperson “But those that don’t prioritise those principles will find us an ever assertive force when it comes to keeping people safer.” In response to the Molly Rose Foundation report, an Ofcom spokesperson said: “We agree that it’s time for tech firms to take action to protect their users, especially children. “And we won’t hesitate to take enforcement action if they fall short.” In a further statement, Technology Secretary Mr Kyle said: “The Online Safety Act lays the foundations for a safer internet and in the coming months will protect against illegal content and harmful material for children.

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History of this topic

Parents urged to be vigilant about children’s online safety over Christmas
2 weeks, 4 days ago

Parents urged to be vigilant about children’s online safety over Christmas

The Independent  

Sign up to our free weekly IndyTech newsletter delivered straight to your inbox Sign up to our free IndyTech newsletter Sign up to our free IndyTech newsletter SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy Parents have been urged to remain vigilant about their children’s online safety over …

Australia PM on social media ban: Firms now have responsibility to protect kids
3 weeks, 3 days ago

Australia PM on social media ban: Firms now have responsibility to protect kids

India Today  

Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said on Friday that social media platforms now have a responsibility to ensure the safety of children, after the country's parliament passed a bill banning those under the age of 16 from using the services. Australia approved the social media ban for children on Thursday after an emotive debate that has gripped the nation, setting …

Social media ban for children ‘brilliant idea’ for tackling abuse – charity boss
3 weeks, 4 days ago

Social media ban for children ‘brilliant idea’ for tackling abuse – charity boss

The Independent  

Sign up for the Independent Women email for the latest news, opinion and features Get the Independent Women email for free Get the Independent Women email for free SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy A social media ban for young children is “a brilliant idea” for …

Australia pushes for social media ban for kids under 16: Here are the rules
3 weeks, 5 days ago

Australia pushes for social media ban for kids under 16: Here are the rules

India Today  

Australia took a major step toward banning social media for children under 16 on Wednesday, with the lower house of Parliament passing a bill aimed at implementing some of the toughest online controls globally. The bill passed with bipartisan support, securing 102 votes to 13, as Prime Minister Anthony Albanese's government pushes for swift enactment before the year’s end. Here …

Is a “digital duty of care” enough to protect young people from social media’s harms?
1 month ago

Is a “digital duty of care” enough to protect young people from social media’s harms?

ABC  

Since the start of November, the Australian government has made two significant announcements aimed at addressing the harms that social media platforms are causing to the mental health of adolescents: that it will legislate a minimum age of 16 for access to social media platforms like Facebook, Instagram, TikTok and X; that it will legislate a minimum age of 16 …

Australia introduces bill to limit under-16s from using social media with tech companies facing huge fines
1 month ago

Australia introduces bill to limit under-16s from using social media with tech companies facing huge fines

CNN  

Brisbane, Australia CNN — The Australian government is threatening multimillion dollar fines for social media companies that breach a proposed ban on children under 16 from using their service. Communications Minister Michelle Rowland introduced an amendment to the Online Safety Act in parliament on Thursday, which the government has pitched as “world-leading social media reform.” “The Albanese Government is introducing …

Australia will require social media platforms to act to prevent online harm to users
1 month, 1 week ago

Australia will require social media platforms to act to prevent online harm to users

Associated Press  

MELBOURNE, Australia — Australia plans to require social media platforms to act to prevent online harms to users such as bullying, predatory behavior and algorithms pushing destructive content, the government said Thursday. “The Digital Duty of Care will place the onus on digital platforms to proactively keep Australians safe and better prevent online harms,” Communications Minister Michelle Rowland said in …

Social media 'duty of care' laws would force online giants to take preventative action on mental health harms
1 month, 1 week ago

Social media 'duty of care' laws would force online giants to take preventative action on mental health harms

ABC  

Social media companies would be required to take proactive steps to keep Australians safe online under a federal government plan to legislate a "Digital Duty of Care". Strong penalties for companies that fail to take preventative action The new duty would be in addition to the government's move to ban children and teens younger than 16 from using social media, …

Online grooming crimes reach record levels, NSPCC says
1 month, 3 weeks ago

Online grooming crimes reach record levels, NSPCC says

The Independent  

Sign up to our free weekly IndyTech newsletter delivered straight to your inbox Sign up to our free IndyTech newsletter Sign up to our free IndyTech newsletter SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy Online grooming crimes have reached record levels in the UK, with more than …

Online safety laws ‘pose substantial risks to our economy’
2 months ago

Online safety laws ‘pose substantial risks to our economy’

The Telegraph  

Looming online safety laws pose “substantial risks” to the economy, ministers have been warned, amid fears the new red tape will smother small tech businesses. Sir David Davis, a former Cabinet minister, has called for a new review of forthcoming tech regulation, which is designed to protect children from harmful online content. In a letter to Peter Kyle, the secretary …

Technology Secretary says firms must ‘bake’ safety at centre of new products
2 months, 1 week ago

Technology Secretary says firms must ‘bake’ safety at centre of new products

The Independent  

Sign up for the View from Westminster email for expert analysis straight to your inbox Get our free View from Westminster email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Peter Kyle said Ofcom would be telling the US-based gaming …

Technology Secretary asks Ofcom for online safety response to summer riots
2 months, 1 week ago

Technology Secretary asks Ofcom for online safety response to summer riots

The Independent  

Sign up for the View from Westminster email for expert analysis straight to your inbox Get our free View from Westminster email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Please try again later {{ /verifyErrors }} The Technology Secretary …

Speed up laws to prevent children seeing harmful content online, Technology Secretary tells Ofcom
2 months, 1 week ago

Speed up laws to prevent children seeing harmful content online, Technology Secretary tells Ofcom

The Telegraph  

New laws to protect children from harmful online content such as suicide, self-harm and pornography must be introduced faster, the Technology Secretary has told Ofcom. In a letter to the head of the online regulator, Peter Kyle said it was “incredibly important” to introduce measures in the Online Safety Act “as soon as possible” amid concerns that they will not …

Urgent warning over children ‘doom scrolling’ for hours a day
2 months, 1 week ago

Urgent warning over children ‘doom scrolling’ for hours a day

The Independent  

The best of Voices delivered to your inbox every week - from controversial columns to expert analysis Sign up for our free weekly Voices newsletter for expert opinion and columns Sign up to our free weekly Voices newsletter Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, …

Children ‘doom scrolling’ on phones for hours a day causing widespread harm – MP
2 months, 1 week ago

Children ‘doom scrolling’ on phones for hours a day causing widespread harm – MP

The Independent  

Sign up for the View from Westminster email for expert analysis straight to your inbox Get our free View from Westminster email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Smartphones and the instant access they provide to harmful content …

Children and young teenagers could be banned from using social media, minister says
3 months, 1 week ago

Children and young teenagers could be banned from using social media, minister says

The Independent  

Get the free Morning Headlines email for news from our reporters across the world Sign up to our free Morning Headlines email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Please try again later {{ /verifyErrors }} Children in the …

Government strengthens Online Safety Act to crack down on revenge porn
3 months, 1 week ago

Government strengthens Online Safety Act to crack down on revenge porn

The Independent  

Sign up for the View from Westminster email for expert analysis straight to your inbox Get our free View from Westminster email Get our free View from Westminster email SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy The sharing of revenge porn is to be classified as the …

Ofcom hiring more online safety staff amid calls to tackle misinformation
4 months ago

Ofcom hiring more online safety staff amid calls to tackle misinformation

The Independent  

For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy Media regulator Ofcom is ramping …

Social media firms ‘failing to detect and remove’ suicide and self-harm content
4 months, 1 week ago

Social media firms ‘failing to detect and remove’ suicide and self-harm content

The Independent  

Sign up to our free weekly IndyTech newsletter delivered straight to your inbox Sign up to our free IndyTech newsletter Sign up to our free IndyTech newsletter SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy Some of the biggest social media platforms are failing to detect and remove …

Those stoking violence online could face jail, Keir Starmer says
4 months, 2 weeks ago

Those stoking violence online could face jail, Keir Starmer says

The Independent  

Sign up for the View from Westminster email for expert analysis straight to your inbox Get our free View from Westminster email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Please try again later {{ /verifyErrors }} Anyone whipping up …

Senate passes bill to protect kids online and make tech companies accountable for harmful content
4 months, 3 weeks ago

Senate passes bill to protect kids online and make tech companies accountable for harmful content

Associated Press  

WASHINGTON — The Senate overwhelmingly passed legislation Tuesday that is designed to protect children from dangerous online content, pushing forward with what would be the first major effort by Congress in decades to hold tech companies more accountable for the harm that they cause. “It is past time to act.” The legislation is about allowing children, teens and parents “to …

US Senate passes bill to protect children from dangerous online content
4 months, 3 weeks ago

US Senate passes bill to protect children from dangerous online content

Al Jazeera  

The Bill was pushed by parents of children who died by suicide after online bullying or were harmed by online content. The United States Senate has overwhelmingly passed legislation designed to protect children from dangerous online content, pushing forward with what would be the first major effort by Congress in decades to hold tech companies more accountable for the harm …

Senate to consider bills that aim to protect children and teenagers online
5 months ago

Senate to consider bills that aim to protect children and teenagers online

Associated Press  

WASHINGTON — The Senate will consider legislation this week that aims to protect children from dangerous online content, moving forward with what could become the first sweeping new regulation of the tech industry in decades. On this issue, we desperately need to catch up.” The online safety bill, which the Senate will consider along with a separate bill to update …

What to know about the Kids Online Safety Act that just passed the Senate
5 months ago

What to know about the Kids Online Safety Act that just passed the Senate

Associated Press  

The last time Congress passed a law to protect children on the internet was in 1998 — before Facebook, before the iPhone and long before today’s oldest teenagers were born. KOSA would create a “duty of care” — a legal term that requires companies to take reasonable steps to prevent harm — for online platforms minors will likely use. Even …

Campaign to protect children online
5 months, 1 week ago

Campaign to protect children online

China Daily  

Campaign to protect children online China's top internet regulator has launched a two-month campaign to protect children online during the summer vacation, targeting e-commerce predators and inappropriate content. The crackdown follows a controversy last year that occurred when China Central Television exposed e-commerce platforms selling nude scale model toys to children age 7 to 14. A report on juvenile internet …

A law to protect kids online? It might just happen now.
6 months ago

A law to protect kids online? It might just happen now.

Raw Story  

WASHINGTON — Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer seems to have overcome a major roadblock in his own party who’s holding up legislation designed to protect children from online harm. “The majority leader and I have exchanged new text that looks like an improvement to me,” Sen. Ron Wyden exclusively told Raw Story at the U.S. Capitol. While the new KOSA …

Meta, Google leading $1m lobbying efforts to oppose NY online safety for children bills
7 months ago

Meta, Google leading $1m lobbying efforts to oppose NY online safety for children bills

Op India  

Tech behemoths like Meta and Google have spent about $1.5 million combating strategies in the United States aimed at protecting children online. The SAFE Act would prohibit social media platforms from using recommendation algorithms on children, requiring chronological feeds for persons aged 18 and less unless a parental agreement is obtained. A Meta spokeswoman stated that the tech giant would …

Children ‘blackmailed into stripping for strangers’ on daily basis, says MP
7 months, 1 week ago

Children ‘blackmailed into stripping for strangers’ on daily basis, says MP

The Independent  

Sign up for the View from Westminster email for expert analysis straight to your inbox Get our free View from Westminster email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. She said: “This Government does have less than a year …

What are the new social media algorithm rules as Ofcom cracks down?
7 months, 2 weeks ago

What are the new social media algorithm rules as Ofcom cracks down?

The Independent  

Get the free Morning Headlines email for news from our reporters across the world Sign up to our free Morning Headlines email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Please try again later {{ /verifyErrors }} Social media platforms …

Online safety rules don’t go far enough, bereaved parents say
7 months, 2 weeks ago

Online safety rules don’t go far enough, bereaved parents say

The Independent  

For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. The intervention from the parents of 11 children, whose …

Editorial: Social media companies refuse to safeguard kids. It’s up to lawmakers now
8 months ago

Editorial: Social media companies refuse to safeguard kids. It’s up to lawmakers now

LA Times  

From state capitols to Washington, D.C., lawmakers are scrambling to come up with regulations that can protect kids from the potential harms of social media, since the platforms have been unwilling to adopt reasonable safeguards themselves. In just the last few months, Florida passed a law banning children under age 14 from having a social media account, Iowa legislators backed …

Children’s code pioneered in UK forces tech firms to give young more protection
8 months, 3 weeks ago

Children’s code pioneered in UK forces tech firms to give young more protection

The Telegraph  

In response to demands for greater parental control, YouTube now offers different settings for children so parents can screen and block content. It will also notify children when they are interacting with an adult who has been flagged for suspicious behaviour TikTok limits who can download a child’s content, unless the user permits it while Instagram allows users to revoke …

Canada Introduces Bill To Force Social Media Companies To Remove 'Harmful Post' Within 24 Hours
9 months, 1 week ago

Canada Introduces Bill To Force Social Media Companies To Remove 'Harmful Post' Within 24 Hours

Live Law  

Canada has recently proposed an Online Safety Act to combat a range of harmful online content. The draft legislation, introduced by Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's Liberal government, aims to hold tech platforms accountable for swiftly removing content that falls under seven specified categories of harm. Under the proposed law, tech companies would be obligated to remove harmful content within 24 …

Brianna Ghey’s mother says child online safety laws should be ‘more drastic’
10 months, 2 weeks ago

Brianna Ghey’s mother says child online safety laws should be ‘more drastic’

The Independent  

Sign up for the View from Westminster email for expert analysis straight to your inbox Get our free View from Westminster email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. I think that mobile phones have a lot to answer …

Majority of boys aged 11-14 ‘exposed to online content that promotes misogyny’
10 months, 2 weeks ago

Majority of boys aged 11-14 ‘exposed to online content that promotes misogyny’

The Independent  

For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Every parent knows being online …

UK Government Considers Social Media Restrictions for Under-16s
1 year ago

UK Government Considers Social Media Restrictions for Under-16s

Deccan Chronicle  

Hyderabad: The UK government, led by Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, is contemplating potential restrictions on social media access for teenagers below the age of 16 in a bid to safeguard them from online harm. Despite the implementation of the Online Safety Act, mandating social media platforms to shield minors from harmful content or face fines up to 10% of global …

New online safety rules to cover generative AI and algorithms to better protect children
1 year, 1 month ago

New online safety rules to cover generative AI and algorithms to better protect children

ABC  

The federal government has released its plans to strengthen obligations for online companies to protect children and other users from harmful material, and placing an onus on them to ensure future artificial intelligence technologies can't be used to generate deepfake intimate content. Key points: The proposed new rules will extend to cover generative AI and algorithms The changes also call …

New online safety plans to end ‘stranger danger’ for children
1 year, 1 month ago

New online safety plans to end ‘stranger danger’ for children

The Telegraph  

Strangers are to be barred from sending messages to children on social media under plans by Ofcom to protect young people online. Describing it as an online form of “stranger danger”, she said: “If these unwanted approaches happened so often in the outside world, many of us would hardly want our children to leave the house. That cannot continue.” Under …

AI could 'trigger a damaging new wave' of the extreme online content that led to 14-year-old schoolgirl Molly Russell taking her own life, her heartbroken father says
1 year, 1 month ago

AI could 'trigger a damaging new wave' of the extreme online content that led to 14-year-old schoolgirl Molly Russell taking her own life, her heartbroken father says

Daily Mail  

The father of tragic schoolgirl Molly Russell yesterday warned that AI could 'trigger a damaging new wave' of the extreme online content that led to his daughter's death. Undated family handout file photo of 14-year-old Molly Russell who took her own life in November 2017 after she had been viewing material on social media linked to anxiety, depression, self-harm and …

Kick It Out CEO says new online safety bill is ‘brilliant’ but only ‘a small piece of the jigsaw’
1 year, 3 months ago

Kick It Out CEO says new online safety bill is ‘brilliant’ but only ‘a small piece of the jigsaw’

The Independent  

Sign up to Miguel Delaney’s Reading the Game newsletter sent straight to your inbox for free Sign up to Miguel’s Delaney’s free weekly newsletter Sign up to Miguel’s Delaney’s free weekly newsletter SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy Kick It Out chief Tony Burnett says the …

UK’s new online safety law adds to crackdown on Big Tech companies
1 year, 3 months ago

UK’s new online safety law adds to crackdown on Big Tech companies

Associated Press  

LONDON — British lawmakers have approved an ambitious but controversial new internet safety law with wide-ranging powers to crack down on digital and social media companies like TikTok, Google, and Facebook and Instagram parent Meta. The new law requires social media platforms to take down illegal content, including child sexual abuse, hate speech and terrorism, revenge porn and posts promoting …

Legislation to tame the online ‘Wild West’ clears Parliament
1 year, 3 months ago

Legislation to tame the online ‘Wild West’ clears Parliament

The Independent  

Sign up for the View from Westminster email for expert analysis straight to your inbox Get our free View from Westminster email Get our free View from Westminster email SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Technology Secretary Michelle Donelan said the Online Safety Bill was a “game-changing” new law. “That’s …

Flagship law will make UK safest place in the world to be online, says minister
1 year, 3 months ago

Flagship law will make UK safest place in the world to be online, says minister

The Independent  

Sign up for the View from Westminster email for expert analysis straight to your inbox Get our free View from Westminster email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Digital minister Lord Parkinson said: “The intention of this Bill …

PM urged to keep independent appeals process for removing harmful online content
1 year, 5 months ago

PM urged to keep independent appeals process for removing harmful online content

The Independent  

Sign up for the View from Westminster email for expert analysis straight to your inbox Get our free View from Westminster email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Please try again later {{ /verifyErrors }} The Government has …

Britain tightens planned tech law to stop children viewing adult content
1 year, 5 months ago

Britain tightens planned tech law to stop children viewing adult content

The Hindu  

Britain said on Friday it had tightened protections in its Online Safety Bill that will prevent children from viewing pornography in an update to long-delayed legislation that is being closely watched by the tech industry. Britain, like the European Union and other countries, has been grappling over how to protect social media users, and in particular children, from harmful content …

Internet users encouraging self-harm to face five years in jail under new plans
1 year, 7 months ago

Internet users encouraging self-harm to face five years in jail under new plans

The Independent  

For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. The measures seek to deter …

Kate Winslet calls on Government to ‘criminalise harmful content’
1 year, 7 months ago

Kate Winslet calls on Government to ‘criminalise harmful content’

The Independent  

Sign up to our free weekly IndyTech newsletter delivered straight to your inbox Sign up to our free IndyTech newsletter Sign up to our free IndyTech newsletter SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy Kate Winslet has called on the “people in power” to “criminalise harmful content” …

Senators talk about upping online safety for kids. This year they could do something
1 year, 10 months ago

Senators talk about upping online safety for kids. This year they could do something

NPR  

Senators talk about upping online safety for kids. This year they could do something Enlarge this image toggle caption Tom Brenner/Pool/Getty Images Tom Brenner/Pool/Getty Images Senators from both parties are once again taking aim at big tech companies, reigniting their efforts to protect children from "toxic content" online. At a Senate Judiciary Committee hearing on Tuesday, they said they plan …

Mother whose daughter killed herself backs calls for social media crackdown
1 year, 11 months ago

Mother whose daughter killed herself backs calls for social media crackdown

The Independent  

For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Please try again later {{ …

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