UK and Australian legislation on online safety obligations
Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy has announced that the Department for Culture, Media and Sport will leave Elon Musk’s platform X, joining the Attorney General’s Office in suspending official posts. The move comes amid scrutiny of X’s handling of misinformation, racist content and online safety, with Ofcom investigations and past government actions raising pressure as violence and protests linked to recent incidents unfold.
The film Citizen Vigilante, linked to Uwe Boll and Armie Hammer, has been posted for free by Elon Musk on X, prompting complaints that the platform amplified anti-Muslim content. UK Muslim groups urge Ofcom to assess compliance with the Online Safety Act as questions grow over X’s moderation and the safety of users.
Ofcom has launched a formal investigation into TikTok over the platform’s use of age-inference checks to determine users’ ages. The regulator is examining whether these methods are highly effective and if they correctly identify child users, amid concerns about exposure to harmful content. TikTok says it complies with the Online Safety Act and will cooperate with Ofcom.
Ofcom has blocked a UK-based suicide forum for the vast majority of users and says all legal routes under the Online Safety Act have been exhausted. UK access remains possible via VPN; regulators are reviewing additional powers, including court-ordered blocking. The operator has not paid a £950,000 fine.
Ceasefire talks have stalled as fighting intensifies across Gaza. Mediators are pressing for a durable pause, while civilians bear the brunt of renewed bombardment and displacement.
Australia’s eSafety Commissioner has begun legal action against Telegram for failing to remove pro-terror material, citing content linked to Christchurch and Buffalo attacks. Telegram contests the allegations as Russia charges its founder, Pavel Durov, with facilitating terrorism amid ongoing safety talks with Australia.
Two Cleveland police officers, PC Matthew Blades and PC Tom Clough, and five people in a Volkswagen Passat have been pronounced dead after the Passat travelled the wrong way on the A66 at South Bank and collided with a marked armed response vehicle. The Independent Office for Police Conduct has opened an investigation and dozens of arrests have been made in linked inquiries.
Multiple fatal crashes linked to dangerous driving have triggered government pressure on social-media platforms to remove content celebrating reckless road behavior. Ministers say platforms must act now as investigations unfold and a review of online safety powers is underway.
A deadly crash in Teesside linked to social-media videos of dangerous driving has spurred government pressure on platforms to remove such content. Police say one victim had posted similar clips; officials vow to curb the trend as calls for platform action mount.
Police say a Volkswagen Passat driven dangerously collided with an armed response vehicle on the A66, killing five occupants and two officers. Authorities have arrested 12 people linked to alleged serious and organised crime as the investigation widens across Teesside.
Meta has agreed to pay up to $18 billion and to change Facebook and Instagram defaults for US users under 18. The deal ends a federal trial and requires age verification, a two-hour daily cap, night blocks, muted school-hour notifications, removal of visible like counts and limits on cosmetic filters.
Meta has agreed to an $18bn settlement and new protections for under-18 users, introducing time limits, notifications, and restricted features in the US. The UK and other countries are watching closely as policymakers consider mirroring or strengthening safeguards amid ongoing concerns about teen online safety.
Which? flags a fake 10 Downing Street listing on Booking.com, using the PM’s address and a photo. A brief 20-minute window allowed researchers to test the booking flow. A fake review and external payment links were posted; 14 people sought to book, but only a Which? tester’s request was accepted. The listing was removed six weeks after going live, amid calls for stronger online-ads controls.
Ofcom has opened an investigation into Pornhub’s age verification process, examining whether Aylo’s device-level checks are highly effective under the Online Safety Act. The regulator says the service provider bears responsibility for age assurance and is concerned that due diligence and testing may have been inadequate. A fine could reach up to £18 million or 10% of global revenue.