Children and teenagers in the United Kingdom say the Online Safety Act has made virtually no difference in their ability to access harmful content online. More than a year after the law's main child protection obligations took effect, the legislation is falling short of its goals.
Dame Rachel de Souza, England's Children's Commissioner, has raised serious concerns about the law's effectiveness. According to her assessment, the act doesn't adequately address the mechanisms embedded in social media platforms that encourage harmful behavior and excessive use—specifically addictive design patterns and algorithmic feeds that keep young users engaged longer than is healthy.
The criticism suggests that while the Online Safety Act attempted to strengthen protections for minors, its implementation has failed to deliver meaningful change in practice. Young people continue to encounter dangerous material despite the regulatory framework, and platforms maintain design features known to be psychologically manipulative, particularly for vulnerable audiences.