New Rules for a Safer Generation of Children Online
By Jill Dando News
In a significant step towards creating a safer digital world for children, Ofcom has today finalised its long-awaited Codes of Practice, outlining new legal duties for tech companies operating in the UK.
These measures aim to enforce a "safety-first" approach across platforms and services that children are likely to access.
The development of these codes followed an extensive consultation process that engaged more than 27,000 children and 13,000 parents, as well as feedback from industry, civil society, charities, and child safety experts. Researchers also hosted workshops and interviews with children from across the UK to gather their views in a secure and supportive environment.
“Taking these views into account, our Codes demand a ‘safety-first’ approach in how tech firms design and operate their services in the UK,” an Ofcom spokesperson stated.
Key Safety Measures Introduced
The Codes mandate a range of new protections, including:
- Safer Feeds: Algorithms must be configured to prevent children from being exposed to harmful content. Any provider using recommender systems and posing a medium or high risk must filter out such content from children’s feeds.
- Effective Age Checks: The most high-risk services must implement strong age assurance tools to identify child users and ensure their experiences are age-appropriate. If providers have age restrictions but weak enforcement, they must assume children are present and tailor the content accordingly.
- Fast Response to Harm: Platforms must have systems to promptly review, assess, and act on reports of harmful content.
- Greater Control for Children: Children must be able to manage their digital experience—such as indicating unwanted content, blocking or muting accounts, declining group chat invites, and disabling comments. Support information must also be easily accessible to those who encounter harmful material.
- Simple Reporting: Providers must make it easy for children to report harmful content or make complaints, and respond appropriately. Terms and conditions should be written clearly so young users can understand them.
- Strong Governance: Each service must designate a named individual responsible for child safety, with senior leadership reviewing risk management annually.
These protections also align with existing rules designed to shield children from illegal online harms, including online grooming, and introduce additional requirements for pornographic sites to prevent children from accessing explicit content.
What Happens Next?
Tech providers whose services are likely to be used by UK children must complete and document a child risk assessment by 24 July 2025. These assessments may be requested by Ofcom. From 25 July 2025, platforms are expected to fully implement the safety measures outlined in the Codes.
Ofcom has made it clear that non-compliance will carry consequences: companies failing to meet these duties may face substantial fines, and in severe cases, court orders could block access to their services within the UK.
“Today’s Codes of Practice are the basis for a new era of child safety regulation online. We will build on them with further consultations, in the coming months, on additional measures to protect users from illegal material and harms to children,” Ofcom stated.
The announcement marks a major shift in the responsibilities placed on tech companies to protect young users—and sets the stage for stronger, more enforceable online safety standards moving forward.
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