This could get interesting because Ofcom have announced measures to protect children online.
The UK Communications regulator has brought in more than 40 new rules for tech firms, called The Online Safety Act, which include apps and sites must filter out harmful content from children’s feeds and have effective age checks so they can identify those under 18, must quickly tackle harmful content such as such as violent, hateful or abusive material, make it easier for children to report content such as pornography, self-harm, suicide and eating disorders and have a named executive responsible for children’s safety.
From 25 July, sites and apps covered by the code need to implement those changes or risk being found guilty of breaching the act which can be fines of up to £18m or 10% of global revenue or in the case of repeat offending, Ofcom can prevent the site or app from being available in the UK and senior managers at tech firms will also be criminally liable and could face up to two years in jail if they ignore enforcement notices from Ofcom.
The Molly Rose Foundation, established by the family of Molly Russell who was a British teenager who took her own life after viewing harmful online content, believes the measures do not go far enough and the Child Protection Charity, The NSPCC described the measures as a: 'major step forward'.
The Trump Government, currently in league with the Tech Companies, are expected to challenge Ofcom over the act’s impact on freedom of expression but the UK Government bacxk the Ofcom ruling and the science, innovation and technology secretary, Peter Kyle, said this morning that: 'Tech firms must adhere to British laws if they are to operate in the UK'.
Ofcom are not backward in banning media it deems outside of its law from operating in the UK, Fox News and Russia Today have both been removed from British Televsions as bias and unbalanced and GB News has been a regular recipient of fines for breaching it laws so maybe, finally, the US Tech Firms will be bought to heel and forced to take some responsibility which may well spark a few more Safety Acts to tame them in other countries.