One in three children lie about their age to access adult content on social media, according to research commissioned by the regulator, Ofcom.

Many social media sites, such as Instagram, do not permit under-13s to sign up, while accounts for under-18s have limited functionality.

But researchers found children were faking their ages to skirt the rules.

Ofcom says this increases the risk of children seeing content which may be inappropriate or harmful.

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This annual report looks at media use, attitudes and understanding among children and young people aged 5-15, as well as media access and use by young children aged 3-4.

It also includes findings on parents’ views about their children’s media use, and how they monitor and manage it. It is intended to provide a comprehensive picture of children’s media experiences in 2020/21 as a reference for industry, policymakers, academics and the general public.

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Regulator Ofcom has announced Anna-Sophie Harling will be its online safety principal, dealing with how the tech giants regulate harmful speech.

She will be in charge of implementing the Online Safety Bill, due to come into effect later this year if approved by Parliament.

Ofcom will be able to fine tech firms that fail to remove offending content up to 10% of their global revenue.

But one expert said this would require "bold leadership".

Ms Harling will be part of a team reporting into Ofcom's chief executive Melanie Dawes.

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In these challenging times, people understandably want to keep up to date with the latest developments in the coronavirus (Covid-19) pandemic.

But given the false claims about Covid-19 circulating online, some people are struggling to know who or what to believe.

Access to accurate, trustworthy and credible sources of news and information has never been more important. So, with the support of Ofcom’s Making Sense of Media Panel and Network, here's a collection of resources to help cut through the confusion and provide people with the tools to navigate news and information about Covid-19.

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This report provides evidence on media use, attitudes and understanding among children and young people aged 5-15, as well as about the media access and use of young children aged 3-4.
It also includes findings on parents’ views about their children’s media use, and how they monitor and limit it.

Read more

Online Nation is a new annual report that looks at what people are doing online, how they are served by online content providers and platforms, and their attitudes to and experiences of using the internet. It brings the relevant research into a single place and aims to act as a data- and insight driven resource for stakeholders at a time of significant evolution in the online landscape.

Read the report