Technology Secretary Liz Kendall has issued a stark warning to the UK's internet regulator, stating that Ofcom risks losing public trust if it fails to properly use its powers to tackle online harms.
Growing Concerns Over Enforcement Delays
In a recent conversation with The Guardian, Kendall revealed she expressed "deep disappointment" to Ofcom's chief executive Melanie Dawes about the slow pace of enforcing the Online Safety Act. This landmark legislation, designed to protect the public from various online dangers across social media platforms and pornography websites, has faced significant implementation delays.
Ofcom has defended its position, insisting the delays are beyond its control and that "change is happening." However, Kendall remained firm, stating: "They know that if they don't implement [and] use the powers that they've got in the act, they will lose the trust of the public."
AI Chatbots Emerge as New Threat
The Technology Secretary expressed particular concern about the rapid advancement of technology, specifically highlighting AI chatbots as an emerging danger that wasn't fully anticipated when the legislation was drafted. "I'm now really worried about AI chatbots and the impact they're having on children and young people," Kendall admitted.
Her concerns are supported by troubling cases from the United States, where lawsuits have been filed involving teenagers who took their own lives after developing intense relationships with AI chatbots from platforms like ChatGPT and Character.AI, treating them as confidants and advisors.
Kendall emphasised the urgency of addressing this gap, stating: "If chatbots aren't included or properly covered by the legislation, and we're really working through that now, then they will have to be. People have got to feel their kids are safe."
Leadership Changes and Recent Actions
The warning comes during a period of transition for Ofcom, with chair Michael Grade scheduled to step down in April, prompting a search for new leadership. Melanie Dawes, a career civil servant, has served as chief executive for nearly six years.
Despite the criticism, Kendall acknowledged some positive steps, noting that Ofcom was "rightly pressing forward" with enforcement. Recently, the regulator fined a "nudify" app £50,000 for failing to protect children from accessing pornography. These applications typically use artificial intelligence to digitally "undress" uploaded photographs.
This marked only the second fine issued by Ofcom under the Online Safety Act since it became law more than two years ago, highlighting the slow pace of enforcement that has drawn criticism.
The concerns about Ofcom's effectiveness are shared by families affected by online harms. Last week, the father of Molly Russell - who took her own life at 14 after viewing harmful online content - stated he had lost trust in the watchdog's leadership. When questioned about her own confidence in Ofcom's leadership, Kendall notably declined to offer her backing.
With parts of the online safety regime not expected to be fully operational until mid-2027 - nearly four years after the Online Safety Act became law - and technology advancing at breakneck speed, the pressure is mounting on regulators to demonstrate they can keep pace with the digital frontier and protect the most vulnerable users.
