The UK government has apologised to a generation of children who were exposed to harmful material online, admitting that slow political action allowed toxic content to proliferate on social media. Technology Secretary Peter Kyle said that as new online safety measures come into force, ministers must acknowledge that they were too slow to act and that children have been let down by a lack of robust digital protections.
Kyle’s remarks came as the long‑awaited Online Safety Act began to take effect, introducing tougher rules for platforms and stronger penalties for failing to protect young users. He noted that it has taken years of campaigning by parents, educators and child‑safety charities to compel lawmakers to regulate social‑media companies. Kyle said the government now has a duty to ensure the law is implemented quickly and effectively so that no further generation is exposed to damaging content. A recent Guardian article chronicles the years of delays and lobbying that preceded the law, highlighting how successive administrations failed to prioritise child safety.
Campaigners say the apology must be matched by swift enforcement of new rules and a commitment to keep pace with emerging technologies. They warn that harmful algorithms and lax moderation can drive young users toward extreme or distressing material, and argue that regulators need the resources to hold tech firms accountable.
For background on the scope of the Online Safety Act and its implications, BBC’s technology section offers an overview of the legislation and the challenges ahead.
Source: Politics | The Guardian
