UK watchdog: Young people must report harmful online content

  • The communications watchdog has found that two-thirds of young people have encountered potential harms on social media but only one in six report it.
  • The most common potential harm encountered online was offensive or bad language, followed by misinformation.
  • Ofcom is launching a campaign with TikTok influencer Lewis Leigh through an ‘Only Nans’ campaign to encourage people to report harmful content seen on social media.
  • Check out our article on ‘Why aren’t children and young people reporting it?’
  • You can read the full story on the Guardian’s website.

Video selfies trial to verify age of young people on Instagram

  • Meta are testing video selfies with facial analysis software as a new age-verification method.
  • Currently only trialling in the US, young people will be given three ways to verify their age: upload ID, ask three adult users to vouch for their age or take a video selfie.
  • Meta hopes it will ensure young people have an “age-appropriate experience” with Instagram.
  • Find out more about the trial on the BBC’s website.

Government facing calls to ‘slim down’ its Online Safety Bill

  • The government is facing calls to ‘slim down’ its Online Safety Bill amid concerns over its impact on people’s freedoms, privacy and innovation.
  • The legislation is set to require platforms to protect users from harmful content online.
  • The Culture Secretary has said the Online Safety Bill will make the UK the ‘safest place in the world for our children to go online’.
  • However, former ministers have accused the Bill of being an infringement of free speech.
  • Read more about this on the Independent’s website.