Former Facebook Executive Urges Social Media Giants to Protect UK Youth or Exit Market

A former Facebook executive has called on social media companies to prioritize child safety or exit the UK altogether. Richard Allan, now a Liberal Democrat peer, praised the Online Safety Act, which grants regulator Ofcom increased authority to combat illegal content and mandates safer platforms for children. Allan’s statement follows the life sentences handed to the two teenagers responsible for the murder of transgender schoolgirl Brianna Ghey, during which it was revealed that one of the killers had an obsession with watching violent and real killing videos online. Mark Zuckerberg, CEO of Meta, the parent company of Facebook and Instagram, faced questioning at a Senate committee hearing on children’s online safety and apologized to grieving parents who attribute their children’s deaths to social media content. Allan believes the new law will diminish the tech giants’ dominance and compel them to make substantial changes. He expects some services, particularly those with sexualized content, to withdraw from serving children in the UK due to the challenges posed by the legislation. Education Secretary Gillian Keegan is studying proposals, including a potential ban on mobile phones in schools, while Brianna Ghey’s mother, Esther, aims to launch a petition for legislation restricting under-16s to child-friendly phones without social media access. Ghey also suggested that parents’ phones should be equipped with software to monitor their children’s browsing activities. The Online Safety Act holds online service providers accountable for user safety, particularly that of children. It mandates risk assessment of platforms, clearly defined protective measures, and easy reporting of illegal or harmful content. Businesses hosting pornographic content must verify user ages through methods such as photo ID or credit card checks. The legislation, which is being implemented in stages, introduces six new criminal offenses related to online harm. These include sending false information causing psychological or physical harm, threats of death or serious harm, encouragement or assistance in self-harm, and the dissemination or threat of sharing intimate photographs or films without consent. Prisons sentences of varying lengths are prescribed for each offense. With this act, the UK aims to better protect children and users from harmful online content and ensure social media companies take responsibility for user safety.