Snap, Meta, Roblox commit to stronger anti-grooming measures, says Ofcom

Ofcom announced that Snap (SNAP), Meta (META), and Roblox (RBLX) have confirmed that they will bring in new safety measures designed to better protect children from online strangers who wish them harm – ranging from tighter default settings for children’s contacts and friendship groups, to AI detection tools and direct chat controls. “Under the new commitments secured for UK users, children’s safety will be considered upfront by platforms before new features are rolled out to them. In response to our call to end product-testing on children, five of the services have committed to notify the regulator whenever they update their risk assessments before making significant changes to their services – going above and beyond their duties under the Online Safety Act. This will ensure that Ofcom is aware of new products and features before they launch, allowing us an opportunity to scrutinise any adverse impact on children.” Dame Melanie Dawes, Ofcom’s Chief Executive said: “These changes have the potential to make children’s lives safer online. Ofcom’s sustained public and private pressure on the tech platforms where children spend most time has delivered some significant safety improvements – particularly against grooming. However, more change is needed, and we remain deeply concerned that, despite overwhelming evidence of harm, companies are still failing to take the necessary action to keep underage children off their platforms and make their feeds safer.”