Online safety experts have criticised Ofcom’s latest regulations for social media companies and adult content providers for failing to go far enough in ensuring young people are protected holistically in digital spaces.
Research from Qoria, Smoothwall’s parent company, found this concern is warranted. Of the schools polled, 64 per cent said they lack the training and knowledge to deal with AI-specific threats, a figure that should alarm the FE sector when looking at the rapid transformation and acceptance of online harms. These extend in many cases beyond social media.
As young people progress into FE, they often gain more independence and with it, a growing confidence in their digital capabilities. Many see themselves as digitally mature. But independence should not be mistaken for immunity. Confidence online doesn’t always equate to competence, and maturity in real-world spaces doesn’t always extend to virtual ones.
What the new legislation means
Under the Online Safety Act, the “riskiest” services, such as social media platforms and adult content providers, have to block harmful content through age checks. Failure results in a fine, or the full site being shut down ‘in extreme cases’.
This still relies heavily on enforcing certain content types for different age groups, with the implication being that some exposure to harmful material is ‘appropriate’ if the user is old enough.
Enterprise-grade on-device safety technologies offer a far more comprehensive safeguard, capable of detecting and responding not only to social media harms but also to the wider spectrum of online risks beyond social media, including AI-generated exploitation, gaming-related abuse, gambling exposure and access to pornography. These solutions deliver real-time, age-assured protection exactly where young people are most at risk.
Ofcom should be actively exploring these tools as part of a more robust, long-term and holistic digital safety strategy that doesn’t leave young people’s wellbeing reliant on inconsistent age checks alone, in one segment of the internet.
Older students, different risks
FE students sit at the intersection of growing autonomy and intensifying digital threats. While they may appear more self-sufficient, their digital lives are shaped by a new layer of complex risk, AI-driven manipulation, gambling exposure, targeted scams, deepfake pornography and peer exploitation.
The myth of the ‘digital native’ can lead us to overestimate their resilience and underestimate the support they still need. Legislation continues to lean heavily on ‘age-appropriate’ thresholds, yet the reality is that online harm doesn’t stop when youngsters turn 16. It shifts, often becoming more sophisticated and difficult to detect.
What’s needed is a staggered, age-appropriate and progressive approach that supports students’ growing participation and digital literacy. Instead of static benchmarks, we must offer evolving safeguards that adapt to how students use technology, engage socially and experience risk across each developmental stage.
Holistic approach needed
Ofcom recently launched an investigation into two pornographic websites that did not appear to have any effective age checking mechanisms at all – which would be a violation of the new regulations under the Online Safety Act. It highlights a wider issue of regulation not working in practice.
Age verification technology is riddled with inconsistencies and often fails to provide reliable outcomes, leaving critical safety gaps that young people can fall through. In practice, many young users bypass these controls using VPNs or even AI-generated images to fool age estimation tools – highlighting how quickly current safeguards can be undermined without robust, multi-layered protections.
Many sites still rely on easily bypassed, simple self-declared age checks. FE students are more likely to be exposed, often engaging with online content far more independently and without safeguarding oversight. Ofcom regulations call for “highly effective” age checks, but these cannot be held up as the backbone of online safety strategy until verification is more robust.
Wider accountability from platforms and stronger support for FE providers is needed, particularly to support educators managing increasingly complex risks without adequate resources.
Too often, the burden of navigating complex digital risks is placed on educators alone. This overlooks the broader culture of accountability required to truly protect young people.
Now is the time to ensure that online safety policy reflects young people’s real digital lives. That protection starts with acknowledging their risks, respecting their need for guidance and responding proactively rather than after harm has occurred.
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