Tech firms investigated for child failings

Major tech firms are being investigated by the Information Commissioner for endangering children online, in a UK first.

Four social media and tech firms are under scrutiny for alleged breaches of a new code of conduct introduced to better protect kids.

If found guilty, the firms could face fines of up to £17.5 million or four per cent of their global turnover (whichever is higher), reprimands, or enforcement notices.

The Information Commissioner previously announced that porn sites failing to stop children accessing explicit sexual content will face investigation.

Sites will have to introduce rigorous age checks to block children or face the prospect of multi-million pound fines or enforcement action.

CARE has campaigned for age verification for many years, stressing the immense harm pornography does to children.

In July, we urged regulator Ofcom to ensure that this safeguard is in place far earlier than originally forecast.

Tim Cairns, Senior Policy Officer at CARE, commented:

"Ofcom's roadmap proposes that pornography sites will not be properly regulated in the UK until the end of 2024. This is completely unacceptable and Ofcom needs to reassess its timeline and Parliament needs to intervene to ensure strict deadlines are placed on the face of the Bill to ensure that children are kept safe online.

It is not as if age verification is a new or novel concept that Ofcom needs to work through. The technology exists to implement it and the public strongly support it being brought in. Polling commissioned by CARE found 8 in 10 UK adults support age verification for online pornography.

If Ofcom does not urgently review its timeline, Parliament must intervene and ensure strict time limits for implementation and enforcement are placed in the Bill. Children have waited far too long for protection online. Ofcom need to show more urgency in protecting the most vulnerable."