Ofcom Raises Alarm Over Child Safety on TikTok and YouTube

The United Kingdom’s communications regulator, Ofcom, has warned that major social media platforms including TikTok and YouTube are still “not safe enough” for children, raising fresh concerns about online safety standards and platform accountability.

In its latest assessment under the UK’s Online Safety framework, Ofcom said that while both platforms have introduced measures aimed at protecting younger users, significant gaps remain in preventing children from accessing harmful or inappropriate content. The regulator stressed that current safeguards do not go far enough to ensure a consistently safe digital environment for minors.

The report highlights ongoing issues such as exposure to self-harm content, harmful challenges, and inappropriate recommendations driven by algorithmic feeds. Ofcom also noted concerns about age verification systems, which it says are still not robust enough to reliably prevent underage users from bypassing restrictions.

Both TikTok and YouTube have previously introduced parental controls, restricted modes, and content moderation systems, but regulators argue that enforcement and effectiveness vary widely across regions and user settings.

Ofcom says it will continue monitoring compliance as new online safety rules are implemented in the UK, with expectations that platforms will be required to take stronger action or face potential enforcement measures.

The findings add to growing global scrutiny of Big Tech companies over child protection online, as governments push for stricter safeguards around algorithm-driven content and user safety standards.