Keeping up with online safety news can feel overwhelming, but staying informed is key to helping our kids navigate the digital world safely. Here’s your quick and essential rundown of the biggest updates parents need to know right now:
1. Ofcom & the Online Safety Act: Big Promises, Big Questions
Ofcom has announced major changes under the new Online Safety Act. Tech companies are now required to introduce proper age verification methods—like facial age estimation or even ID checks—to prevent children from accessing adult content.
It sounds like a step in the right direction. But there’s a catch: experts warn that the definition of “harmful content” is still vague. Without clearer guidelines, platforms could find loopholes to avoid real accountability.
Bottom line: It’s progress, but there’s still a long way to go to ensure children are genuinely protected online.
2. Internet Watch Foundation: Shocking Rise in Child Exploitation
The latest report from the Internet Watch Foundation (IWF) brings concerning news. Over 250,000 web pages containing child sexual abuse images were detected last year — and about half of those images were self-generated by children.
This means young people are being tricked, coerced, or pressured into sharing explicit images themselves.
It’s a strong reminder that open conversations about online safety need to happen regularly at home.
3. Instagram’s New Location Sharing Feature: A Privacy Risk?
Instagram is currently testing a new feature that allows users to share their exact location with friends.
While this might seem like a fun addition, it carries serious privacy risks — especially for younger users.
If your child uses Instagram, it’s worth double-checking their settings and ensuring location sharing is turned off.
4. Snapchat: Grooming at an “Industrial Scale”
A recent investigation by The Times has revealed alarming levels of child grooming taking place on Snapchat.
Experts have called it grooming on an “industrial scale,” driven by the app’s disappearing messages and weak moderation tools.
What parents can do right now:
Set Snapchat profiles to private
Turn off Quick Add to prevent strangers from finding them
Regularly review their friends list
Keep the conversation open about who they are talking to and what’s happening online
5. ‘No Mercy’ Game Pulled After Global Backlash
Lastly, a disturbing game called ‘No Mercy’ was recently pulled from the Steam gaming platform after an international outcry.
The game featured content around rape and incest, shockingly available without proper age restrictions.
After thousands of complaints and bans across multiple countries, it was finally removed.
This is a powerful reminder for parents: not all games on popular platforms are safe, even if they seem harmless at first glance.
Final Thoughts
The online world moves fast—and not always in ways that keep our children’s safety in mind.
Staying informed, having open conversations, and regularly reviewing your child’s apps and settings are some of the best tools we have to protect them.
Keep the conversations going — your voice matters more than you know.
