Overview

• Internet Matters reports that 61% of children who get news from social platforms have recently seen content that worried or upset them, with many describing violent and death-related footage.
• More than a quarter of young news consumers (27%) said they had believed a fake or AI-generated story, rising to 43% among vulnerable children compared with 23% of their peers.
• Recommendation feeds are driving incidental exposure, as 40% of young people who get news on social media do not follow news accounts yet still encounter stories pushed into their feeds.
• Recent examples cited include videos related to the death of Liam Payne, the murder of Charlie Kirk, the Liverpool parade car-ramming, and scenes from wars, shootings and stabbings.
• Ministers say the research predates enforcement of Online Safety Act child-protection codes begun in late July, while campaigners and MPs argue platforms need clearer AI labels, stronger moderation and broader media literacy.