Social media platforms are still failing to properly protect children online, according to Ofcom, the UK’s communications and online-safety regulator, which says the biggest danger now lies within the platforms’ own design systems, especially recommendation feeds that continue pushing content toward young users. In a new warning and supporting research published by the regulator, Ofcom said major online platforms have not done enough to enforce minimum-age rules, strengthen safety measures, or prevent children from being exposed to harmful material. Scroll down to read more…
Ofcom’s warning
Ofcom’s message is blunt: popular sites and apps must do more to protect underage users, and they must prove it. In March, the regulator told Facebook, Instagram, Roblox, Snapchat, TikTok and YouTube to tighten age checks, improve grooming protections, make feeds safer, and stop testing products on children without strong safeguards. Ofcom said parents have lost trust in tech firms’ ability to keep children safe.
The regulator’s latest research, published in May 2026, gives the warning extra weight. Among 11- to 17-year-olds who recalled seeing harmful content online, TikTok was the most commonly named service, cited by 53%, followed by YouTube at 36%. When Ofcom looked specifically at the most harmful content children should be prevented from seeing, TikTok again ranked highest at 42%, with YouTube at 25%.
Why the feeds matter
Ofcom says the real problem is not just that harmful content exists, but that it reaches children through personalised feeds. In its research, 35% of 11- to 17-year-olds who had seen harmful content said it appeared while they were scrolling their feed, making algorithms the main route to risk. Ofcom also found that 59% of children who saw harmful content took some kind of action, such as blocking, reporting or tapping “not interested,” but many still encountered material they should not have been shown in the first place.
The pattern is especially worrying for younger users. Ofcom said under-16s reported increased exposure on TikTok and Snapchat, while 11- to 12-year-olds were increasingly likely to cite TikTok, Snapchat and YouTube Kids as sources of harmful content. The regulator also said 72% of children aged 8 to 12 were still accessing services whose minimum age is 13, showing how weak enforcement remains.Ofcom is now pressing the platforms to respond with concrete changes, not vague assurances. The regulator has said services need highly effective age assurance, stronger controls to stop strangers contacting children, safer recommendation systems, and an end to product testing on children unless risks have been properly assessed. It has also warned that if companies do not improve, it is ready to take enforcement action.
