Overview

• Ofcom's latest study reveals that 25% of children aged 5-7 in the UK own smartphones, with many also accessing social media platforms.
• The Online Safety Act, recently passed, aims to enforce stricter age limits on social media usage to protect young users.
• Government consultations are underway to potentially ban smartphone sales to children under 16 and increase social media age restrictions to 16.
• Tech companies face hefty fines and legal actions if they fail to comply with the new regulations aimed at protecting children online.
• Parental concerns grow as children bypass age restrictions, with calls for more robust enforcement and better online safety measures.