TikTok, YouTube trail rivals on child safety measures, UK regulator warns

UK regulators are disappointed as major social media and tech outlets are not contributing towards necessary child safety measures.

TikTok and Alphabet's YouTube have failed to set out meaningful steps to protect British children from harmful online content, media regulator Ofcom said on Thursday.

The Ofcom regulator said neither company had made any fruitful commitments to make recommendation feeds safer, despite evidence that these feeds are the main route through which children encounter harm.

Governments are stepping up efforts to improve child safety online, with Prime Minister Keir Starmer urging social media firms to take greater responsibility.

Britain is consulting on tighter curbs, including a possible ban on under-16s using social media, modeled on Australia's landmark move, to tackle what it calls addictive design features.

Systems still fall short: Ofcom

Ofcom research found 73% of 11- to 17-year-olds were exposed to harmful content over four weeks, mainly via personalized feeds.

TikTok was cited most often, followed by YouTube, Meta's Instagram, and Snap's Snapchat.

Ofcom said TikTok and YouTube maintained their existing systems were sufficient, but the regulator said its evidence suggested their feeds "are still not safe enough."

A YouTube spokesperson said, "YouTube provides industry-leading, age-appropriate, high-quality experiences for young viewers, working with child safety experts to deliver protections that support millions of families across the UK.

"We welcome today's news that others across the industry will soon adopt similar features."

A TikTok spokesperson said it was "very disappointing that Ofcom has failed to acknowledge both our longstanding and newer safety features."

"We will continue to make ongoing investments in safety measures for our users," the person added.

Government urged to strengthen law:

Nearly a year after new child safety duties under the Online Safety Act took effect, Ofcom said there had been little overall improvement in children's exposure to harmful content.

The regulator said major platforms dominate children's online activity, with YouTube used by 67% of children and TikTok by 60%, and 95% using at least one social media or video-sharing service.

It also flagged weak enforcement of minimum age rules, noting 84% of children aged eight to 12 use services requiring users to be at least 13.

Ofcom said current legislation does not clearly require companies to keep underage users off their platforms and urged the government to strengthen the law.