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It might be our last edition of the year, but there is still plenty happening in online safety! We've curated views, research, resources and expert opinion from all over the world including links to:
  • Research showing age assurance is not protecting children and data on the most common platforms used by perpetrators to target children.
  • Substantial new safety feature announcements from Roblox and Instagram.
  • Counter Currents, our new podcast series, focused on the exploitation of the internet by extremists. We interview some of the people involved in the online response to the trauma unfolding in Christchurch in 2019 and experts focused on ensuring this never happens again.

Predictions for 2025

At this time of the year, feeds and inboxes are full of predictions that will be quickly forgotten or are too vague to be reviewed anyway. But there is real value in the process of making predictions because it forces the industry to look at the underlying forces driving change in online safety.

In 2024, there has been a growing disconnect between safety science and policy-making, with populism and political narratives increasingly driving regulatory decisions. The big question for 2025 is whether the online safety community can regroup and promote safety interventions based in science and evidence - or whether populism and politics will continue to drive decision making.

Counter Currents: Four-part podcast series

Counter Currents focuses on the exploitation of the internet by extremists - and the efforts to fight back. With the help of expert guests, we review the online aspects of the Christchurch Masjidain attack, delve into the dynamics of extremism and look at the progress made since that tragic day. You can listen on major podcast platforms or visit the OSX website to learn more.

Research

Age assurance not protecting children
A new study shows that age assurance is often ineffective at protecting children from online risk of harm - and as currently implemented it risks childrens' other rights.

Common platforms to target children

NCPCC data identifies the most common (disclosed) platforms that perpetrators use to target children online: Snapchat 28%, WhatsApp 12%, FB and Messenger 10% and Instagram at 6%.

The what and when of US Teens online

Most teens use social media and have a smartphone, and nearly half say they’re online almost constantly, according to a new Pew Research Center survey of U.S. teens ages 13 to 17
Map of the world with the words Online Safety Exchange Network over the top

Join the OSX Network

The Online Safety Exchange has developed the OSX Network (OSXN) for global online safety practitioners. This dedicated private platform provides a space for like-minded individuals to come together to collaborate, improve practices, and positively advance outcomes for internet users everywhere. There's a small, but connected community already involved from different parts of the world, and we invite you to join now.

Regulation
Australia has established a new law to raise the age for accessing social media to 16, and dumped a proposed Misinformation Bill.
Ireland adopts an Online Safety Code for video-sharing platforms. The Coimisiun na Mean gives X, TikTok and Instagram 12 weeks to take "necessary measures" to address terrorist content on their platforms, or risk big fines.
32 state Attorney Generals sent a letter to the members of the US Congress urging it to pass the Kids Online Safety Act which has been diluted, and stalled amid concerns from both sides of the political spectrum.
Ofcom has released an updated roadmap for Online Safety Act compliance milestones, opened consulting on fees and penalties (closes Jan 9th). The UK Government has issued a draft statement on it's strategic priorities for online safety.
The Global Online Safety Regulators Network published a Regulatory index comparing its eight members' approaches to online safety regulation, and added two more observer organisations.
The Christchurch Call and its CCIAO partners demonstrated the viability of using an open-source library to safely enable algorithmic auditing by external researchers.
An updated Crisis Response Protocol (CRP) now incoporates the wider Advisory Network enabling a more global, multistakeholder response to incidents. Edit this to insert text.

Industry

Safety Updates
Roblox introduced updates to the built-in protections for younger users, adjusted built in limits for users under 13, and gave parents more control from their own devices.

Teen Accounts

Instagram introduced Teen Accounts limiting who can contact them and what they see - and requireing a parent to override. It also added new tools designed to reduce sextortion of teens.

Partnerships
TikTok announced an expanded partnership with the National PTA in the US, and the Digital Safety Partnership for Families with Internet Matters in the UK

Listen
Oxford Internet Institute
The first three epsiodes of this series from the Oxford Internet Institute cover: screen time, making gig work fair, and the digital lives of children.
Tech Policy Press
Recent episodes from the Sunday Show include the assult of disinfo and hate speech research and drawing a line in the tech accountability movement.
Safety is Sexy
Matt Soeth is joined by expert guests to discuss online safety matters. Recent epiosdes cover resilience, tech policy, Kospa, and trusted flaggers

Join and contribute

The Online Safety Exchange (OSX) is focused on the development of best practice online safety operations and operators - with a focus on working together to foster safer internet experiences. If you'd like to contribute something to a future update, please email news@onlinesafetyexchange.org. We have also created a member-only platform to connect the growing network of online safety experts working in public, private, or civil society - join the OSX Network now.
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