![](\"http:\/\/ch.jfdi.cc\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/uk-children-exposed-to-violent-content-online-see-it-as-inevitable.jpg\")
Children in\u00a0Britain\u00a0stumble on violent content online, including material promoting self-harm, while still at primary school and say it is an \u201cinevitable part\u201d of using the internet, according to research published on Friday.<\/p>\n
The report underlines the challenge facing world governments and tech groups, such as Meta, which owns Facebook, Instagram and WhatsApp, Google\u2019s YouTube, Snap Inc\u2019s Snapchat, and ByteDance\u2019s TikTok, to enact safeguarding measures, especially for minors.Britain\u00a0passed\u00a0legislation last October\u00a0that set tougher rules for social media platforms, including a mandate for them to prevent children from accessing harmful and age-inappropriate content by enforcing age limits and age-checking measures.<\/strong>The law gave Ofcom the power to fine tech companies if they fail to comply with the new requirements, but the penalties have not yet come into force as the regulator must produce codes of practice to implement the measure.Messaging platforms led by WhatsApp have opposed a provision in the law they say could force them to break end-to-end encryption.All of the 247 children, aged between 8-17, interviewed for the report \u2013 commissioned\u00a0by Ofcom and carried out between May and November \u2013\u00a0came across violent content online mostly via social media, video-sharing and messaging sites and apps, Ofcom said.In a statement, Ofcom said the report by research agency Family Kids & Youth found that violent gaming content, verbal discrimination and footage of street fights were commonly encountered by the children.<\/strong>Many children said they felt they had no control over the content suggested to them and reported only a limited understanding of recommender systems \u2013 which use data to predict someone\u2019s preferred content. The children referred to these systems as \u201cthe algorithm,\u201d the report said.\u201cToday\u2019s research sends a powerful message to tech firms that now is the time to act so they\u2019re ready to meet their child protection duties under new online safety laws,\u201d<\/strong> Gill Whitehead, Ofcom\u2019s Online Safety Group Director, said.She said Ofcom would consult on how it can\u00a0expect the industry to ensure children have an age-appropriate, safer online experience.Follow the Children in Britain encounter violent online content, including material promoting self-harm, at primary school age, viewing it as an “inevitable part” of internet use. Research indicates this challenge for governments and tech companies like Meta, Google, Snap Inc, and ByteDance to implement safeguarding measures for minors. Britain passed legislation requiring social media platforms to prevent children from accessing harmful content by enforcing age limits and age-checking measures. Ofcom has the authority to fine tech companies for non-compliance, though penalties are pending the development of codes of practice. Messaging platforms, particularly WhatsApp, have resisted parts of the law that could compromise end-to-end encryption. A report, commissioned by Ofcom and conducted by Family Kids & Youth, found that all 247 children interviewed, aged 8-17, encountered violent content online, including violent gaming content, verbal discrimination, and footage of street fights, primarily through social media, video-sharing, and messaging sites and apps. Children reported feeling powerless over the content suggested to them and had a limited understanding of recommender systems, referring to them as “the algorithm.”<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":4310,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"Default","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[4],"tags":[862,2087,732,195,33,1776,3,249,2024,250,1991,109,252,1004,2086,1222,433,817,1827,1313,1875,494,2085,18],"class_list":["post-4309","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-cyprus","tag-age","tag-age-appropriate-online-experience","tag-apps","tag-britain","tag-companies","tag-compliance","tag-cyprus","tag-facebook","tag-fights","tag-google","tag-industry","tag-internet","tag-meta","tag-power","tag-safeguarding-measures","tag-safety","tag-school","tag-social-media","tag-statement","tag-tech-firms","tag-tiktok","tag-uk","tag-violent-content-online","tag-world"],"acf":{"keyphrase":"","keywords":"","sourceimg":"","country-category":""},"yoast_head":"\n
\nCyprus Mail on Google News<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"