The UK’s Children & Young People’s Online Safety Act has officially come into force. This landmark legislation is designed to make the internet safer for anyone under 18 by holding tech companies accountable for harmful content and prioritising children’s mental health and wellbeing.
Why Has This Act Been Introduced?
Too many young people face serious risks online, including:
- Bullying and harassment
- Exposure to self-harm or eating disorder content
- Exploitation through unmoderated platforms
- Content inappropriate for their age and stage of development
The new Act recognises these dangers and places child safety above platform profits, ensuring that harmful content and unsafe algorithms are addressed.
Key Protections in the Act
The legislation introduces several important measures, including:
- Age-appropriate design standards for online platforms
- Stronger protections from harmful algorithms
- Tougher age verification tools
- New rights for parents and young people to complain if platforms fail to protect them
Impact on Tech Companies
For the first time, online platforms now have a legal duty of care to under‑18s. They must:
- Minimise risks of harm
- Be transparent about how their algorithms work
- Conduct and submit safety risk assessments
- Face fines for failing to comply with safety standards
Mental Health at the Heart of Online Safety
The Act doesn’t just look at physical harm, it recognises the psychological impact of unsafe online spaces. Issues like doomscrolling, toxic influencer culture, and exposure to dangerous content can deeply affect young people’s mental health. By introducing these measures, the Act creates a duty to prevent psychological harm too.
What Schools, Parents and Youth Workers Need to Know
The new law isn’t only relevant to tech companies. It’s also a chance for schools, carers and youth workers to:
- Review existing digital safeguarding policies
- Teach young people about their new online rights
- Support the reporting of harmful content
At stem4, we provide Online Safety First Aid training for educators, health professionals, and parents. These courses help adults understand the latest risks and equip them to support young people effectively. All our training is 50% off throughout summer 2025 to help more communities access it.
Access our training here: https://training.stem4.org.uk/
Young People’s Rights Under the Act
The Act empowers children and young people to:
- Complain if platforms don’t protect them
- Request removal of harmful content
- Ask for clear explanations on how their data is used
This is an important step toward giving young people control over their online experiences.
Enforcement
OFCOM will enforce the Act. They have the authority to:
- Investigate online platforms
- Impose fines on companies that fail to protect users
- Require regular compliance reviews to ensure standards are met
stem4’s Commitment to Safe Digital Design
At stem4, we have always built our apps with safety-first principles, following the Age-Appropriate Children’s Design Code and avoiding harmful algorithmic features. Our tools never collect identifiable data, and personalisation is kept in the user’s control.
We’re pleased to see legislation finally reflect these values, prioritising the mental health of children and young people online.
Find Out More
Learn about our Online Safety First Aid training (50% off until September 2025) and explore free resources for schools, parents and young people.
Resources:
Guide for young people: https://stem4.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/YMHD-2024-ControlYourScroll-Guide.pdf
Blogs on digital wellbeing: https://stem4.org.uk/category/blog/digital-wellbeing/
Clinically-informed mental health apps: https://stem4.org.uk/apps/
