Campaigners call lack of progress ‘staggering’, as Ofcom also admits little change in severity of harm to children encountering unsafe content
Landmark online safety measures have failed to limit the proportion of children suffering harm from social media, the UK’s online regulator has admitted, in an assessment branded “staggering” by campaigners.
The proportion of children being fed unsafe content that often left them frightened, confused and upset, was almost unchanged, according to an Ofcom review of the first nine months of supposedly strict requirements on social media platforms such as TikTok and Instagram.
The legislation requires social media platforms to implement age-verification measures to ensure compliance. Companies that fail to meet the requirements could face fines of up to 6 percent of their global annual turnover.
Addressing parliament ahead of the vote, Digital Governance and Artificial Intelligence Minister Dimitris Papastergiou described the measure as a necessary step that is compatible with the European Union’s (EU) existing regulatory framework.
“It would have been very easy to do absolutely nothing today and wait for the perfect European law. But the challenge is here. Children are sinking into the internet every day, and I believe a responsible government must do what it is obliged to do,” he said.
4 countries. 1 growing movement.
France, Denmark, Spain and Greece are all moving to block children from social media — and Greece wants Brussels to make it a Europe-wide rule.#EUXLpic.twitter.com/xH6iJrO139
Minister of State Akis Skertsos said technology should be regulated in ways that give children greater freedom to grow up safely.
Excessive use of social media can negatively affect children’s sleep, concentration, social relationships and psychological development, said Health Minister Adonis Georgiadis, who described digital addiction as a public health challenge.
The legislation forms part of broader government efforts to protect children from harmful online content, cyberbullying and platform features that encourage excessive use. Greece aims to become the first EU member state to introduce such a ban.
The French parliament passed legislation on July 21 aimed at protecting minors from the risks associated with social media use. However, the French Constitutional Council ruled on Aug. 14 that the key provision banning under-15s from accessing social media was unconstitutional.
Greece’s parliament approved a bill on Friday that bans the use of social media platforms for children under 15 amid growing concerns over their impact on the health and safety of minors.
Australia was the first country to pass legislation to curb the use of social media by minors, doing so last year. A similar law passed in France was struck down by the country’s Constitutional Council in August.
Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis said social media platforms have 2-1/2 months to devise a way to verify users’ ages and protect their privacy.
Greece is among seven European Union countries seeking an age verification solution with the European Commission
Greece says it is standing by parents to help curb the “endless scrolling” that deprives children of sleep, concentration and time with their friends
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