Online Safety Act – Is It Making a Difference Yet?
Ofcom has published its first statutory report looking at content that is harmful to children online, including whether the Online Safety Act is making a difference.
Some interesting findings include:
Most UK children reported encountering at least one piece of harmful content online within a four-week period.
There was no statistically significant overall reduction in the proportion of children encountering harmful content during the first nine months after the children’s safety duties came into force in July 2025.
Children continue to report that harmful content negatively affects their wellbeing.
Ofcom is recommending that body stigma and depression-related content should be added to the priority categories of content harmful to children under the Act.
Although the Online Safety Act has resulted in changes to online services, the findings suggest that these have not yet translated into a measurable overall reduction in children’s exposure to harmful content.
What stood out to me is the difference between platforms introducing safety measures and children actually experiencing a safer online environment. Ultimately, it’s the latter that matters, and this will be an important area to monitor as the legislation continues to develop.
Link:
Ofcom – Report on Content Harmful to Children
Age Checks and App Stores – New Ofcom Research
With the proposed restrictions on social media for under-16s expected next year, one of the questions I often hear is how platforms will actually know whether someone is old enough to use their services.
Ofcom has now published research examining how this might work.
It identifies four methods currently capable of providing highly effective age assurance for people aged 16 and over:
Photo-ID matching – comparing identification with a live image of the user.
Digital ID – using a verified digital identity to confirm age.
Banking checks – using age information held by a bank, with the user’s consent.
Facial age estimation – using technology to estimate someone’s age from their face.
Ofcom acknowledges that no system will be completely foolproof and that some children will find ways around the checks.
A separate Ofcom report also raises questions about the role of app stores. Around three-quarters of children who use the internet say apps downloaded from an app store are their main route online, yet the app stores examined rely largely on users declaring their own ages.
Although the exact arrangements for the proposed social media restrictions are still being developed, this research highlights how complicated effective age assurance can be. It also raises questions about whether protections should operate across devices, app stores and individual platforms rather than relying on any one approach.
Links:
Ofcom – How Age Checks at 16 Could Work
Ofcom – Report on the Use of App Stores by Children
Online Safety Resources – A Quick Catch-Up
There have been quite a few new and updated online safety resources published over recent weeks. Schools may already have seen some of these, but just in case anything has slipped through the net, here’s a quick round-up of resources that may be useful.
LGfL – Online Safety Presentation for Parents
An updated, ready-to-use PowerPoint presentation that schools can adapt for parent information sessions. It brings together online safety advice, current issues and practical information for families.
Link: LGfL – Online Safety Resources
PSHE Association – Digital Deception: Deepfakes and SEND
New lessons designed for KS3–4 pupils with SEND, helping them understand deepfakes, manipulated imagery, the potential harms and what to do when something goes wrong. These complement the existing Digital Deception resources for mainstream pupils.
Link: PSHE Association – Digital Deception
PSHE Association – Challenging the Narrative: Misogyny
A free KS3–4 teaching resource exploring misogyny, harmful beliefs and attitudes, and the ways these can develop and spread. Particularly relevant given concerns around online misogyny and the manosphere.
Link: PSHE Association – Challenging the Narrative
LGfL – Updated Online Safety Policies and Acceptable Use Agreements
Updated templates to help schools review their online safety policies and acceptable use agreements. Resources include versions for staff, pupils, parents, governors and visitors, along with symbol-supported materials for pupils with SEND.
Link: LGfL – Safeguarding Resources
PSHE Association – Understanding AI: Rights, Safety and Wellbeing
Free KS2–4 teaching materials exploring AI chatbots, manipulated imagery, online safety, rights and wellbeing. Useful for schools wanting to include AI safeguarding within their existing PSHE provision.
Link: PSHE Association – Understanding AI
CEOP Education – Online Blackmail
Updated KS3 resources, including lesson plans and scenario films, helping pupils understand online sexual blackmail, how offenders may use threats and pressure, and where young people can get help.
Link: CEOP – Online Blackmail Resources
PSHE Association and BBFC – Pornography, Technology and Consent
Free KS4–5 lessons exploring pornography regulation, technology and the potential influence of online content on attitudes towards relationships and consent.
Link: PSHE Association – Pornography and Regulation
Coming Soon – Safer Internet Day 2027
Safer Internet Day takes place on 9 February 2027, with the theme “Reflect on tech: exploring digital wellbeing and our relationship with technology.”
Free education resources for different age groups are expected to become available during November, so this is worth keeping an eye on if you’re planning activities for next term.
Link: Safer Internet Day 2027 – Education Resources
For Parents and Carers – Talking About AI With Children
Artificial intelligence is becoming an increasingly familiar part of children’s lives, whether that’s through chatbots, homework tools, games or the apps they use every day.
As AI becomes more common, it’s important that children understand both what it can do and where its limitations lie.
Internet Matters has produced a useful Talking About AI guide for families, with age-appropriate conversation starters and activities to help parents explore AI with their children.
The guide encourages families to talk about how AI works, question the information it produces, consider privacy and develop healthy habits when using AI tools.
It’s a practical resource for parents who may not feel particularly confident about AI themselves but want to help their children use it safely and responsibly.
Link:
