The UK's newly appointed online safety commissioner has issued a stark warning: children are still being exposed to pornographic content despite the implementation of the Online Safety Act. The legislation, designed to protect minors from harmful material, is failing to deliver on its promises, leaving young people vulnerable.
Growing Concerns Over Child Protection
In a damning assessment, the commissioner highlighted that tech companies are not doing enough to enforce age verification measures. "The current safeguards are inadequate," the report states, pointing to loopholes that allow under-18s to access explicit content with ease.
Key Failures Identified
- Weak age checks: Many platforms rely on self-declaration, which children can bypass.
- Inconsistent enforcement: Smaller sites often escape scrutiny.
- Delayed action: Regulatory processes move too slowly to keep up with evolving threats.
Calls for Immediate Reform
Parents' groups and child welfare organisations are demanding urgent updates to the law. Proposed changes include:
- Mandatory robust age verification for all adult content sites.
- Heavier fines for non-compliant platforms.
- Real-time monitoring of new websites and apps.
The commissioner emphasised: "We cannot afford to wait another generation to fix this. Children's mental health and development are at stake."
