Social media companies have been instructed to control their aggressive algorithms that promote harmful content to children as part of Ofcom’s new code of safe practice.
Under the child safety regulations of the Online Safety Act, Ofcom has set stringent rules for internet companies on how they engage with children. Companies must either ensure their platforms are child-safe by default or implement robust age verification processes to identify children and provide a safer online experience.
For platforms that conduct age verification, Ofcom mandates adjustments to their algorithms to reduce risks for younger users. This means platforms like Instagram and TikTok have to take children’s ages into account in suggested posts and “for you” pages.
Efforts must also be made to limit the spread of harmful content, such as violent, hateful, abusive content, online bullying, and content promoting dangerous challenges. More severe content related to suicide, self-harm, eating disorders, and pornography must be completely restricted from children’s feeds.
Implementing these new requirements poses challenges as algorithmic curation is often seen as a “black box” with companies unsure of how content is prioritized. However, Ofcom is confident in its enforcement capabilities, according to Gil Whitehead, the head of online safety at the regulator.
The draft code is open for consultation until July 17 before being finalized and presented to parliament, giving parents three months to assess risks for their children. Ofcom’s Chief Executive Dame Melanie Dawes emphasized the importance of protecting children from harmful online experiences and holding platforms accountable for ensuring safety.
UK Technology Secretary Michelle Donnellan stressed the need for platforms to introduce age checks and address algorithms to prevent young people from encountering harmful content online. Ian Russell, a child online safety advocate and father of Molly Russell, who tragically took her own life after being exposed to harmful online content, acknowledged the progress made but urged for more robust measures to prevent similar tragedies.
Source: www.theguardian.com
