New safeguarding rules will be implemented next year, which could lead to significant changes for social media platforms. The regulation, put forth by the Online Safety Act, will enable regulators to penalize social media services levying fines if they don’t comply.
The new guidelines may require platforms such as Facebook, WhatsApp, and Instagram to perform risk assessments and make necessary modifications to protect users. This might entail allowing people to leave group chats without notifying others, which is currently not possible.
Dame Melanie Dawes, Chief Executive of Ofcom, has stated that these companies, not parents or children, are accountable for ensuring public safety online. Since the Online Safety Act became law almost a year ago, Ofcom, which continuously monitors media broadcasters, has been engaged in developing codes of practice, aimed at safeguarding children from harmful content.
Platforms will also need to prove their commitment to removing illegal content, including animal cruelty, self-harm promotion, and child assault. The regulator has already been in direct touch with social media sites, and regulatory enforcement will be ready to launch once the new regulations are imposed.
Ofcom has emphasized that social media companies must undertake a transparent and honest assessment of the risks their services expose users to. Companies that fail to do so could face enforcement actions for non-compliance. According to Dame Melanie, the regulator is ready to penalize such companies
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