New rules to make the internet safer for children were unveiled yesterday as social media firms were told to do more to tackle online abuse. The code of practice will force firms to prioritise children's privacy and safety on their websites and any online services likely to be accessed by youngsters. It was welcomed by children's charities following warnings about youngsters being exposed to pornography, gambling, bullying and self-harm online. They complained that the rules applied to search engines, social media sites, online shopping, games and other websites – not just those aimed at children. Andy Burrows, of the NSPCC, said: 'This transformative code will force high-risk social networks to take online harm seriously, and suffer tough consequences if they fail to.'

Source: Daily Mail January 22, 2020 00:50 UTC