Ofcom has announced new online safety rules aimed at keeping young people safe online. The regulator, which now also oversees online safety, has published more than 40 measures that tech firms and online platforms (aimed at kids) must follow. Failure to do this could see the firms/ platforms face a fine of up to £18 million – or ten per cent of their qualifying worldwide revenue.
The measures include requiring online platforms to have robust age checks to stop children from accessing harmful content, to ensure that algorithms that recommend content do not operate in a way that harms children, and to implement more effective moderation systems so that quick action is taken on harmful content.
However, campaigners say the rules don’t go far enough and are still putting big tech and their profits ahead of the safety of children.
New online safety rules criticised for not going far enough
Lost chance to stop tech firms killing our kids
Explainer: The headline uses emotive and sensational language—particularly “killing our kids”—to provoke outrage and urgency, framing tech firms as directly responsible for harm. It also employs a victim-blaming tone (“lost chance”) to suggest negligence or failure by authorities or society.
- Metro criticises the new online safety rules as a “lost chance to stop tech firms killing our kids.” The rules are being accused of putting “reckless” tech firms and their profits ahead of safety.
New online safety rules ‘will leave children in danger’
Explainer: The headline uses alarmist language—particularly the phrase “leave children in danger”—to evoke fear and concern. The use of quotation marks suggests the statement is a claim or warning, possibly from a critic, lending it authority while distancing the publication from direct responsibility.
- The Daily Mail reports campaigners of Ofcom’s long-awaited rules say they did not go far enough to protect young people and the new rules still leave children in danger.
New online safety rules will force tech firms to change, Ofcom insists
Explainer: The headline uses authoritative language—”will force” and “insists”—to convey certainty and strength, reinforcing Ofcom’s power and determination. It frames the tech firms as resistant actors needing regulation, subtly casting them in a negative light.
- The Independent says Ofcom has insisted that the new online safety rules will force tech firms to change. The regulator has set out how websites and apps must protect children from harmful content, the paper adds.
Tech firms and bosses face fines up to £70,000 for failing to remove ‘sickening‘ knife crime content
Explainer: The headline uses emotive language—particularly “sickening”—to provoke moral outrage and highlight the severity of the issue. It also emphasises punishment (“fines up to £70,000”) to portray tech firms and their bosses as accountable and under threat.
- LBC says the Government has expanded a plan to fine individual tech bosses £10,000 when their platform fails to remove content linked to knife crime, and will now issue additional fines of up to £60,000 to a company itself each time it fails to remove individual posts.