Full Breakdown
Ofcom Says TikTok and YouTube Feeds Remain Unsafe for Children
5/21/2026, 9:10:00 AM
Ofcom’s Core Findings
The UK regulator Ofcom released a report on five major platforms. It concluded TikTok and YouTube “failed to commit to any significant changes to reduce harmful content being served to children, maintaining their feeds are already safe for children,” and added that “our wealth of evidence… suggests they are still not safe enough.” Chief Executive Dame Melanie Dawes said the regulator was “deeply concerned” about the platforms’ failure to protect under-age users. A survey found 84 % of children aged 8-12 use at least one service with a minimum age of 13. Snap, Roblox and Meta each pledged new anti-grooming steps, including age checks and AI tools to flag sexualised messages.
Platform Responses
TikTok highlighted its removal of direct messaging for under-16s and called the Ofcom assessment “very disappointing.” YouTube cited collaboration with child-safety experts and its Shorts timer that lets parents set limits, describing the experience as “industry-leading, age-appropriate.” Snap announced “highly effective” age checks and default blocking of adult strangers. Roblox will let parents switch off direct chat for under-16s, and Meta plans to hide teens’ Instagram connection lists and deploy AI detection of sexualised DMs. Ofcom warned it will act if promised safeguards are not delivered promptly.
Criticism and Opposition
Andy Burrows, chief executive of the Molly Rose Foundation, called the platforms “complacent and evasive when it comes to protecting children from preventable harm.” Education Committee chair Helen Hayes MP argued that “social-media firms cannot be relied upon to self-regulate” and that only a statutory ban and restrictions on high-risk features will keep children safe.
Conflicting Views and Gaps
The report shows a clear divergence: Ofcom says feeds remain unsafe, while platforms claim robust safety features such as age checks, messaging limits and AI monitoring. No independent effectiveness data were provided, leaving a gap in evidence of actual harm reduction.
Verbatim Quotes
- “Notably, TikTok and YouTube failed to commit to any significant changes to reduce harmful content being served to children, maintaining their feeds are already safe for children,” — Ofcom
- “Our wealth of evidence, published today, suggests they are still not safe enough.” — Ofcom
- “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?'” — Matt Navarra, social-media analyst
- “complacent and evasive when it comes to protecting children from preventable harm” — Andy Burrows, Molly Rose Foundation
What’s Next
The government’s consultation on an under-16 social-media ban ends on 26 May, with a response expected in the summer. Ofcom has signalled it will enforce compliance if platforms fail to deliver promised safeguards. The Education Committee’s report urges a statutory ban and tighter controls on addictive features, shaping the next regulatory phase for online child safety in the UK.
