Social media amongst children is a hot topic. Many believe its impact can be extremely damaging. We discuss the UK government’s response in the article below.
Keeping your children safe online is not easy. You want them to access the digital realm, lest they be cut off from the world around them. Yet the internet and social media are still very harmful places. The UK government has decided that platforms must shoulder some of this responsibility in new reforms set out this week.
Changes to rules governing social media
The onus for keeping children safe on social media will go to those who operate the platforms, according to a shakeup of United Kingdom laws. This has been announced by the watchdog for communications, Ofcom. As early as next year, a new online safety act will come into play, and there could be heavy fines for any companies that do not follow it.
One goal will be to ensure safety is baked into platforms. This will attempt to catch harm before it occurs. The changes will also demand transparency from social media companies, such as Meta and TikTok. All of this will require an in-depth look at what harm social media can cause in the world, including the spreading of disinformation. Social media firms will be responsible for protecting children from content depicting violence, self-harm, and pornography.
Safeguarding your family while on the internet
Keeping your family, from your young children all the way to grandparents, safe online while in your home is not easy. It goes much further than social media and includes protecting your networks and devices. You can start by educating the people around you on the dangers of hackers and cybercrime, talking about how people can get your personal information and how it can be used against you. Obviously, the tone of this will have to be adjusted depending on the audience.
There is a chance you may have already been compromised, particularly if your family has visited unsafe websites. These do not even need to be ones featuring adult themes and content. Many are disguised as standard retail and shopping sites. There are services online that can check website safety for you, installing a browser extension that prevents people from visiting those sites. They can even go back and see if you have previously been compromised. Actively protecting you and the family, they can spot phishing scams, malware, and links so you don’t have to keep a constant watch over your family’s browsing habits. Combine this with investment in a quality antivirus. This should provide you with firewalls and additional threat protection.
Safeguarding children on social media
Safeguarding your children while on social media is a little harder. There will come an age when your children want a smartphone, and you cannot watch over every piece of content they are sent by friends. However, there are also benefits to smartphone use, so you must get the balance correct.
You can begin by limiting what is actually on the phone when you give it to children. Password protects the app store, and loads up only the necessary applications. This may include basic call and message functions, access to YouTube Kids, and a few other entertainment and education products.
There are also features built into many phones parents can use to protect their children. The most useful of these are timers, which can shut down the screen and certain apps after a given amount of time. This also helps your child to manage their use of a phone and prevent doomscrolling.
If you do decide that your children can have access to social media, then some platforms have accounts that parents can watch over. TikTok has a family pairing feature that allows parents direct access to messages and the ability to curtail content and screen time. Instagram also has teen accounts, which has enhanced safety for those under 18 years of age.
Social media changes are already in motion
The changes were announced on the same day Instagram added a raft of new safety measures to combat sextortion. At the same time, the European executive of TikTok announced that safety is at the core of the platform. The company also discussed new safety features that are upcoming, including machine learning technology that will spot underage users trying to join the platform.
These responses may be due to the fact that Ofcom is alleged to have been in touch with many of the social media companies mentioned. According to a spokesperson, they are in preparation and no significant changes are afoot. Ofcom will be able to fine them around 10% of their global revenue should they fail to comply or are found in breach.
Social media is changing, as is the digital landscape around us. As it becomes more ingrained in our lives, it is inevitable the younger generation will want access to this. The social media companies must play their part, but the public must also do so as well. This includes using the tools provided and safeguarding our own digital networks to provide a safer world for all.
Source: https://techbuzzireland.com/2025/01/02/ofcom-to-implement-big-changes-to-social-media-security/