online-safety
23 stories related to this topic, newest first.
ottawacitizen.comOttawa Police Charge Two Men in AI-Generated Deepfake Case Involving Canadian Women
Ottawa police have charged two men with multiple counts of harassment, threats and distribution of non-consensual intimate images created using artificial intelligence. Court documents list up to 25 alleged victims whose social-media photos were allegedly altered into violent and…
focustaiwan.twFather of 14-year-old who died by suicide urges government action on social media
Mariano Janin, father of Mia Janin, called for stronger regulation of social media companies after an inquest linked his daughter's death to online bullying on Snapchat and TikTok.
freepressjournal.inU.S. Tech Platforms Begin Compliance With Take It Down Act on May 19
Starting May 19, platforms must provide a process for reporting nonconsensual intimate images and videos. The Federal Trade Commission will enforce the requirements established by the law.
The IndependentMeghan Markle Calls for Global Action on Children's Online Safety
The Duchess of Sussex addressed global health leaders at a Geneva memorial event on Sunday. She described children's online safety as a public health issue and urged stronger protections against digital harm.
The BbcX Agrees to Ofcom Targets for Reviewing UK Illegal Hate and Terror Reports Within 24 Hours on Average
Social media platform X has committed to reviewing UK reports of suspected illegal hate and terrorist content within 24 hours on average, with targets accepted by regulator Ofcom. The pledges include performance data submissions every three months and action against accounts link…
The GuardianOfcom fines US suicide forum £950k and prepares to block it in UK as Google defends search links
Ofcom fined the US-based forum's operators £950,000 after the site remained accessible in the UK despite laws against encouraging suicide. A link to the forum appeared as the second search result below the Samaritans on Google. The Molly Rose Foundation raised the issue, citing t…
Rest of WorldFuture of Privacy Forum CEO Discusses Online Safety Measures for Minors
Jules Polonetsky said governments are moving to regulate children's access to social media but that blanket bans may not be effective. He called for risk-based approaches, improved parental tools, and greater use of AI for content moderation. Polonetsky spoke at a Rest of World v…
France 24**70 Million Warnings Sent Over Attempts to Access Child Abuse Material**
Project Intercept, a partnership between the Lucy Faithfull Foundation and technology companies including Google, TikTok and Meta, has sent more than 70 million warning messages over the past two years. Nearly 700,000 people accessed support resources after the alerts. The initia…
The GuardianOfcom fines online forum £950,000 for failing to block UK users from suicide-related content
Ofcom imposed the penalty after a 13-month investigation, the first of its kind under the Online Safety Act. The forum, which BBC News investigations linked to at least 50 deaths including two from Southampton, remains accessible in Britain without a VPN. Families of the deceased…
thesouthafrican.comPrince of Wales Presents Honours to 60 People at Windsor Castle
Prince William presented honours to 60 individuals at Windsor Castle on May 13, 2026, recognising achievements in music, sport, business and online safety. Singer Ellie Goulding received her MBE for environmental work while former Tottenham Hotspur chairman Daniel Levy collected…
news.sky.comAlbany man pleads guilty to posing as teenage boy to solicit child sexual abuse material
Richard W. McIntosh, 36, of Albany, New Hampshire, pleaded guilty in federal court to one count of coercion and enticement of a minor and one count of obstruction of justice. The plea triggers a mandatory minimum 10-year prison sentence and requires him to register as a sex offen…
bbc.co.ukOnline Child Exploitation Cases Rise Sharply Across Canada
Police-reported incidents of online child sexual exploitation increased 374 per cent between 2014 and 2024, according to Statistics Canada. Northern Ontario police services reported growing caseloads involving luring and sextortion, citing social media, gaming platforms and artif…
bangkokpost.comUK Children Use Fake Beards and VPNs to Bypass Online Age Checks
A new survey by Internet Matters found that 46% of UK children aged 9-16 believe age-verification systems are easy to bypass, with some using drawn-on facial hair or other people's faces. Nearly half reported experiencing online harm in the past month despite increased safety fea…
The IndependentInstagram Ends Optional End-to-End Encryption for Direct Messages
Instagram has discontinued support for end-to-end encrypted direct messages effective May 8 2026. The change reverses a plan announced by parent company Meta in 2019 to roll out the technology across its messaging services. Users will now only have access to standard encryption o…
The GuardianAI Use Rises in Retirement Planning
About 20% of Americans use AI chatbots for retirement advice according to one study, even as median savings sit at $40,000 against a $1.5 million goal. Experts say the tools can run basic simulations but often fail on tax nuances, Social Security rules and longevity risks. UK sch…
thehindu.comTrump States Tariffs on UK Unless Digital Services Tax Reversed
President Donald Trump threatened to impose a big tariff on the UK if it does not drop its digital services tax on US social media companies. This comes amid ongoing scrutiny of social media harms, including a 2024 Senate hearing where Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg apologized to affec…
broadbandtvnews.comUK Regulator Ofcom Investigates Telegram for Potential Failures in Preventing Child Sexual Abuse Material
The UK media regulator Ofcom has initiated an investigation into the messaging app Telegram due to evidence suggesting the presence and sharing of child sexual abuse material on the platform. Telegram denied the accusations and stated it has measures in place to address such cont…
cointelegraph.comEU Commission Announces Readiness of Online Age Verification Platform
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen stated that the EU's online age verification platform is ready for implementation. The platform, modeled after the EU's COVID certificate app, requires users to prove their age via an app linked to identification documents. Sever…
WiredEuropean Commission Releases Free Age Verification App for Online Platforms
The European Commission has introduced a free, open-source app designed to verify users' ages anonymously for accessing age-restricted online content. The app aims to help platforms comply with regulations to protect minors from harmful material. It is available for any company t…
Substrate placeholder — needs reviewReport: Explicit Content Recommended to Simulated 13-Year-Old X Accounts
A report by the Centre for Countering Digital Hate tested X's content policies using simulated UK-based 13-year-old accounts. The tests showed explicit material in search results and recommendations. The findings relate to compliance with the UK's Online Safety Act.
Substrate placeholder — needs reviewRoblox to Introduce Age-Based Account Types for Children and Teens in Early June
Roblox plans to launch Kids and Select account types in early June to create separate environments for users aged 5 to 15. These accounts will include automatic safety controls for content, chat, and parental oversight based on age groups. The changes aim to adjust experiences as…
Oberon Copeland @veryinformed.com (Unsplash)Roblox Announces Age-Locked Account Tiers for Users Under 16 Launching in June
Roblox is introducing Kids accounts for ages 5-8 and Select accounts for ages 9-15, with automatic progression to standard accounts at age 16. The tiers, launching in June, limit access to age-appropriate games and restrict communication features. The platform, with 144 million d…
Substrate placeholder — needs reviewDutch Police Launch Social Media Campaign to Identify Victims in International Sextortion Case
Dutch police have initiated a social media campaign to locate and assist girls and young women victimized in a sextortion case originating from a U.S. tip. The investigation has identified over 50 victims aged 13 to 20 across six countries, with the 22-year-old suspect on trial i…