Online harmful content is always a problem for netizen. This month, Video sharing apps such as Facebook, Instagram and YouTube (If you want to make YouTube videos, you can try MiniTool software – MiniTool Movie Maker) face massive fines for failing to clear harmful content.
Social media giants Instagram, Facebook and YouTube could be fined millions of pounds for showing harmful videos in a government crackdown.
The UK government-approved regulatory and competition authority – Ofcom will be given legal power to police, investigate and fine video-sharing and live-streaming platforms about harmful content, including violence, child abuse and pornography.
Ofcom will also have the power to restrict or suspend the tech giants’ services in the UK if they don’t observe enforcement measures.
The Culture Department said the new powers on videos will come into effect in September next year, according to the Sun.
So what is Ofcom? Why the three social media giants are set to face fines of millions of pounds? This post will tell you in detail.
The Office of Communications, so-called as Ofcom, is the UK regulator for the communications services, including broadcasting, telecommunications, and postal industries.
The regulator has wide-ranging powers across television, radio, telecoms and postal sectors. It has a statutory duty to make sure the public is protected from harmful content or offensive material.
Their duties come from Parliament, which has the power to promote competition among companies they regulate.
Along with the development of social information technology and media technology, it brings a wealth of information, at the same time, online harms will follow.
Children protection
According to the survey of NSPCC, they asked (nearly 40,000) children aged 7 to 16 about the risks they face online. 1750 has been shown a naked or semi-naked image online from an adult. 681 children sent a nude or semi-nude image to an adult.
NSPCC is calling on the government to act now to protect children from online sexual abuse.
Death by social media
Today, social media has a great influence on young people.
Molly Russell, A 14-year-old girl, died after viewing disconcerting posts on Instagram.
She wrote: “I’m sorry I did this because of me.” Her dad said some of that content encourages self-harm and he has no doubt that Instagram kills his daughter.
Davia Emilia, a 16-year-old Malaysia girl, suicide after over half of her followers voted she should die when she posted a poll on Instagram.
Last year, an 11-year-old girl visited “suicide websites” on Instagram before killed herself in Halifax, West Yorks.
Live streaming terror
Live streaming is very popular among young people. On the one hand, they can share their life with others, chat with them and get relax. On the other hand, they can make money and attract people’s attention. Thus, to catch the eye, some people have no basic moral bottom line.
A man killed 13 people while broadcast the killing on Facebook live. After that, the Facebook spokesperson said they work hard to keep a safe environment on Facebook.
In today’s world, there are lots of similar cases happening or continue to happen. It is undeniable that people enjoy using Facebook, Instagram and YouTube, because they can learn various skills and communicate with friend conveniently.
The worst thing is that people would inevitably view harmful content every day when they surf the internet. To solve this, those social media platforms such as YouTube, Instagram and Facebook are working hard to perfect their rules.
Conclusion
To sum up, it has a long way to go in perfecting online harm rules.
If you have some questions about this post, please leave a comment below.