Australia's media watchdog, ACMA, has described allegations that Married at First Sight Australia stars were not informed of their on-screen partners' past drug and violence convictions as "serious and disturbing." UK regulator Ofcom also expressed concern, prompting Channel 4 to pull UK episodes from its streaming service.
UK Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer announced plans to ban under-16s from main social media platforms by next spring. The government is shifting its stance on tech industry access to children, prompted by concerns over wellbeing, time spent online, bullying, and AI chatbot misuse.
Michael Grade, former chair of Ofcom, stated that critics of GB News are part of a 'liberal, Islington consensus' aiming to restrict free expression. He argued that the broadcaster gives a voice to the 'white majority' often ignored in public debate, a concept he linked to the success of Reform UK.
Wes Streeting urges Keir Starmer to take swift action against X and other platforms for inciting violence during riots. He suggests platforms should fund rebuilding costs and face criminal charges for promoting dangerous content, contrasting this with a slower response to AI-generated harmful content.
Elon Musk's X platform will not face action to remove posts inciting violence in Northern Ireland for at least two months, despite condemnation. Ministers plan to amend the Online Safety Act, but this won't take effect until mid-July. Ofcom awaits X's compliance report, not due for two months.
UK regulator Ofcom has issued an open letter reminding social media platforms of their legal obligations under the Online Safety Act 2023 to mitigate illegal content, particularly hate speech and incitement to violence. This follows civil unrest in Belfast, where riots erupted in immigrant-heavy neighborhoods. Elon Musk's retweets of content critical of immigration and the UK's judiciary have drawn attention.
UK media regulator Ofcom has warned online service providers about the increased risk of their platforms being used to incite hatred and provoke violence, following viral posts related to recent civil unrest in Belfast.
Ofcom reports UK train phone signal is poor, with Vodafone meeting standards only 17% of the time. Mobile UK cites infrastructure challenges and urges government action and taxpayer funding for improvements.
UK broadcast regulator Ofcom will examine Channel 4's review into welfare on "Married at First Sight UK" following rape allegations revealed by BBC Panorama. Channel 4 admitted awareness of some information before broadcasts, while the show faces scrutiny over its protocols.
Former Ofcom chair Michael Grade defended GB News, stating broadcasters are 'embarrassed' by its coverage of the 'majority agenda.' Critics, including former Ofcom director Chris Banatvala, dispute his claims, arguing Ofcom failed to apply consistent regulatory standards to GB News.
Ofcom has launched an investigation into Royal Mail for failing to meet its annual delivery targets, with nearly a quarter of first-class mail arriving late. The company has been fined £37m since 2023 for similar breaches.
UK regulator Ofcom has approved STV's controversial plan to cut its dedicated news programme for the north of Scotland, despite opposition from the Scottish government and politicians. The changes, aimed at saving £2.5m, will see news presented from Glasgow for all regions, though a third of the main programme will remain distinct.
Ofcom fines Youngtek Solutions Ltd £600,000 for failing to implement age verification on its adult websites, violating the UK's Online Safety Act.
UK regulator Ofcom has criticized TikTok and YouTube, stating their content algorithms are not sufficiently safe for children. The watchdog is escalating concerns to the government regarding age verification failures and potential social media bans for under-16s.
Former media regulator Michael Grade warns the TV industry is at a "watershed moment" and risks "sinking into the gutter" due to ratings pressure, following sexual abuse allegations on "Married at First Sight UK".
Ofcom'un raporu, Meta, Roblox ve Snap'in çocuk güvenliği önlemlerini uyguladığını, ancak TikTok ve YouTube'un yetersiz kaldığını ortaya koydu. Ankete göre çocukların %70'i zararlı içerikle karşılaştı.
Ofcom has criticised TikTok and YouTube for failing to take sufficient steps to protect children online, despite overwhelming evidence of harm. The regulator demands stronger age checks, grooming prevention, and safer algorithms, and warns of enforcement action including fines.
Ofcom has criticized TikTok and YouTube for not providing safe enough content feeds for children, despite commitments from Meta, Snap, and Roblox. The regulator will share concerns with the government, which is consulting on banning social media for under-16s.
Ofcom criticises TikTok and YouTube in a new report, saying their content feeds are 'not safe enough' for children, while noting Meta, Snap and Roblox agreed to stronger anti-grooming measures. The regulator warns it will take enforcement action if platforms fail to comply.
Ian Cheshire, incoming Ofcom chair, pledges to address perceptions of complacency towards tech giants on online safety, particularly for under-16s, while acknowledging regulatory limitations.
Xiao Fenghuai, former special commissioner of the Ministry of Commerce in Kunming, is being prosecuted for bribery. The investigation found he allegedly accepted bribes totaling a particularly large sum in exchange for assistance in project changes and foreign aid business.
UK regulator Ofcom is updating its codes of practice to compel social media platforms and online forums to detect and remove intimate image abuse, including AI-generated deepfakes. The new guidelines aim to protect women and girls from non-consensual image sharing, with campaigners urging for stronger enforcement measures.
Ofcom fined a US-based suicide forum £950,000 for its role in over 160 UK deaths. The fine highlights the ongoing struggle to make the internet safer and align online rules with offline penalties, despite challenges posed by US tech giants and legal loopholes.
Social media platform X commits to reviewing UK reports of illegal hate and terrorist content within 24 hours on average, as accepted by Ofcom, following recent religiously-motivated crimes in the UK.
