TikTok and YouTube still aren’t safe enough for kids – here’s why

Ofcom has criticised TikTok and YouTube in a new report, stating that both platforms are still “not safe enough” for children who access them on smartphones, tablets, and other devices.

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The regulator said that TikTok and YouTube failed to commit to any major new measures aimed at reducing harmful content being shown to younger users, despite growing pressure around online safety in the UK.

“Notably, TikTok and YouTube failed to commit to any significant changes to reduce harmful content being served to children,” Ofcom said in its report. Both companies, meanwhile, argued that their existing systems and recommendation feeds are already safe for children. Ofcom disagrees.

The report is part of a wider review into how major social and video platforms responded to the regulator’s calls for stronger protections for younger users. It also arrives as the UK government continues consulting on whether social media should be banned entirely for under-16s.

One of Ofcom’s biggest concerns is age enforcement. The regulator said that 84 per cent of children aged eight to 12 are still using at least one major platform with a minimum age requirement of 13.

TikTok defended its current safety features, including restrictions on direct messaging for under-16s. YouTube pointed to tools like its Shorts scrolling timer and supervised experiences for younger viewers.

Social media analyst Matt Navarra told the BBC that the criticism reflects a broader shift in how online harms are viewed. “The old debate was, ‘did the platform remove harmful content quickly enough?’ – the new one has shifted towards, ‘why did the platform show it to a child in the first place?’” he said.

While TikTok and YouTube drew criticism, Ofcom praised several rival platforms for agreeing to stronger anti-grooming protections.

Elsewhere, Snap has agreed to block adult strangers from contacting children by default on Snapchat in the UK, while Roblox will let parents switch off direct chat entirely for under-16s. Meta is also developing AI tools designed to detect potentially sexualised conversations in Instagram DMs involving teenagers.

The government is expected to respond to its under-16s social media consultation later this summer, so we’ll have to see how things play out then.

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Esat Dedezade Contributor

About

Esat has been a gadget fan ever since his tiny four-year-old brain was captivated by a sound-activated dancing sunflower. From there it was a natural progression to a Sega Mega Drive, a brief obsession with hedgehogs, and a love for all things tech. After 7 years as a writer and deputy editor for Stuff, Esat ventured out into the corporate world, spending three years as Editor of Microsoft's European News Centre. Now a freelance writer, his appetite for shiny gadgets has no bounds. Oh, and like all good human beings, he's very fond of cats.