Children in the United Kingdom can easily access pornography online, state regulator Ofcom has said.

A new report by the regulator states that: “There is a lot more to do to ensure that under-18s are suitably protected.”

It adds that platforms are providing little evidence of how their safety measures are operating and aren't prepared for new regulations.

The government's forthcoming online safety regime will introduce new requirements for sites to protect young users from various "harms".

Ofcom can already fine sites that don't prevent children accessing harmful content, restrict access, or force other action.

However, the regulator has failed to take action thus far, drawing criticism from child safety campaigners including CARE.

CARE believes that children should have the same protection online as they do in the offline world.

To learn more about our work towards online safety, visit our cause page: CARE for Online Safety