Safety alerts and threats

Ofcom has published a report saying age checks are now being used at unprecedented scale and are making a difference. The share of children asked to prove their age who met genuinely effective checks rose from 25% to 43% between July 2025 and January 2026, and all of the UK's top 10 porn sites now have age checks. However, Ofcom warns too many services still have weak or no checks, and has opened an investigation into whether TikTok's age checks are effective. Checks now span the porn, social media, dating and gaming sectors. A good moment to make sure your child's age is set correctly on the accounts they use, as this drives what content they can see.

Ofcom has proposed nearly 40 new measures requiring the largest sites and apps, including Google, Bing, Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, Reddit, X, YouTube and Roblox, to do more to stop fraudulent adverts. The rules would require platforms to ban accounts posting scam ads, stop them creating new ones, make scam ads easier to report, and clamp down on criminals using AI to make fake adverts. The proposals are out for consultation until 2 October, with final rules expected next year. It is worth reminding older children and teenagers that adverts promising easy money, free gifts or crypto returns are often scams.

Ofcom has fined the provider of the site fapello.com £600,000 for failing to put highly effective age checks in place, plus a further £30,000 for not responding to a legal information request on time. The site has since geoblocked UK users, so it is no longer directly available here. Ofcom has also opened an investigation into another porn site, eporner.com. This is a further sign that the regulator is enforcing the age-check rules under the Online Safety Act. No direct action is needed from parents, but it is a reminder that device and browser-level content filters remain a sensible backstop.

Ofcom has strengthened its Online Safety Act codes to recommend that platforms use "hash-matching" technology to detect and block illegal intimate images, including AI-generated deepfakes and non-consensual "revenge porn", before they can spread. Platforms are pointed towards established databases such as StopNCII. The change sits alongside wider UK reforms, including a ban on "nudification" tools and a requirement to remove non-consensual intimate images within 48 hours, and is expected to take effect in autumn 2026. It is a good moment to talk to older children about deepfakes and the harm of sharing images, and to report any non-consensual images to the platform or to StopNCII.

Ofcom has set out new measures requiring platforms to act quickly when illegal content spreads rapidly during a crisis, such as the recent civil unrest in Belfast. Companies will need crisis response teams, dedicated channels to the police, and after-action reviews. The aim is to stop material that stirs up hatred or violence from going viral, which can also expose children and young people to disturbing content during fast-moving events. No action is needed from parents, but it is a useful reminder to check in with children after major news events they may have seen online.

The Prime Minister has announced plans to ban under-16s from social media platforms including TikTok, Instagram, Snapchat, YouTube, Facebook and X, following a similar move in Australia. Messaging apps such as WhatsApp and Signal are not included. The government says enforcement will target the platforms with fines, not children or families, and legislation is expected later in 2026. Nothing changes immediately, but parents may want to start talking to teenagers about what the change could mean and how the family uses these apps.

Childnet has released a series of short, free mini-webinars to help parents and carers recognise and respond to common online harms. Topics include grooming, catfishing and sextortion, nude image sharing, group chats and peer pressure, online bullying and harassment, and using privacy settings and parental controls. Each video is brief and practical. A useful starting point for any parent who wants clear guidance without wading through long documents.

Ofcom has published an update on how major platforms are responding to its demands to better protect children under the Online Safety Act, stating plainly that "safety by design is not optional, it is the law in the UK". The regulator has written to sites and apps including Facebook, Instagram, Roblox, Snapchat, TikTok and YouTube, requiring them to show genuine, effective age checks so that under-age children cannot access services. This signals continued pressure on platforms to tighten child safety.

The UK Safer Internet Centre has warned that criminals are using AI tools to manipulate ordinary photos of children, taken from school websites and social media, into fake sexual images, then using them to blackmail schools and families. Surveys suggest most children are already worried that AI could be used to create inappropriate images of them or their friends. Parents should be careful about how many photos of their children are public online, talk to children about the risk, and contact the police rather than paying if anyone is ever targeted.

Roblox has launched age-based accounts and updated parental controls, designed to deliver age-appropriate experiences for younger players. Account features and content access will now vary depending on the player's age, and parents have additional tools to manage their child's activity. Parents should review their child's account age setting and check the new controls available in the Family Centre.

Ofcom has opened formal investigations into Telegram and several teen-focused chat sites to examine whether they are meeting their duties under the Online Safety Act, particularly around protecting children from harmful content and illegal material. This is part of Ofcom's growing enforcement activity on platforms popular with under-18s. Parents should check whether their child uses Telegram or similar chat apps and review privacy and contact settings.

Internet Matters is warning parents about the growing "looksmaxxing" trend, where young people — particularly boys — consume content focused on maximising physical appearance. The trend has roots in incel forums and can expose children to manosphere-related content and misogynistic communities via recommendation algorithms. More extreme forms involve crash dieting, steroid use, and cosmetic procedures. Parents should talk openly with children about healthy body image and monitor social media feeds.

Childnet has published a new cheat sheet on online misogyny, drawing on direct experiences from young people. The resource highlights how misogynistic content — often surfaced through algorithms on social media and video platforms — can normalise harmful attitudes towards women and girls. The guidance includes practical conversation starters for parents to address what children may be encountering online, and advice on how to encourage critical thinking about the content they see.

Childnet has published guidance for parents, carers, and educators on supporting autistic young people when they use technology and go online. Drawing on insights from staff at a specialist autism school, the guidance covers the unique challenges autistic children can face — including difficulties identifying unsafe situations, processing social cues online, and being targeted by others. It offers practical strategies for having online safety conversations in ways that suit autistic learners.

The UK Department for Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT) has launched a major public consultation on online safety, with over 50 questions covering parental controls, AI, social media, and children's digital wellbeing. Responses will directly shape future UK legislation on how platforms must protect children. Childnet is encouraging schools to gather children's own views as part of the process.

Ofcom has begun scrutinising Year 2 risk assessments submitted by tech platforms under the Online Safety Act. Platforms must now demonstrate how they are assessing and mitigating the risk of illegal content — including child sexual abuse material — reaching UK users. This marks a significant step in ongoing enforcement of child safety obligations.

Ofcom has designated self-harm content and cyberflashing (sending unsolicited intimate images) as priority offences under the Online Safety Act. Platforms must now take proactive steps to limit children's exposure to self-harm material and provide reporting mechanisms for unsolicited intimate images. Parents should ensure their child knows how to report such content on any apps they use.

Ofcom has fined the website 4chan £450,000 for failing to implement age verification to prevent minors from accessing pornographic content — one of the first major enforcement actions under the Online Safety Act's age verification requirements. This demonstrates that Ofcom is actively pursuing platforms that do not comply with child safety rules.

Ofcom has published its first codes of practice under the Online Safety Act 2023, setting out steps platforms must take to protect children. Platforms now have legal duties to prevent children from accessing harmful content including pornography, self-harm material, and cyberbullying.

The National Crime Agency's CEOP command has reported a significant increase in sextortion cases targeting 11-14 year olds, particularly boys. Criminals pose as peers on gaming and social platforms to obtain images, then demand payment. Talk to your children about not sharing personal images online.