{"id":683115,"date":"2026-01-08T21:59:14","date_gmt":"2026-01-08T21:59:14","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/683115\/"},"modified":"2026-01-08T21:59:14","modified_gmt":"2026-01-08T21:59:14","slug":"online-safety-legislation-soldiers-on-in-eu-despite-us-pushback","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/683115\/","title":{"rendered":"Online safety legislation soldiers on in EU, despite US pushback"},"content":{"rendered":"

The legislation of age restrictions for social media platforms could be a major point of conflict in 2026. The U.S. administration has been vocal, not to say belligerent, in its opposition to regulations in Europe, the UK and Australia that affect Silicon Valley titans like Meta and X. Last week, it threatened<\/a> to hold Australia\u2019s eSafety Commissioner, U.S.\/Australian citizen Julie Inman Grant, in contempt of U.S. law should she fail to appear before Congress within a fortnight to answer for her alleged crimes against free speech.<\/p>\n

But lawmakers continue to consolidate regulatory efforts nonetheless, risking further ire from the Trump Administration. According to MLex, the EU is planning to form an expert advisory panel to focus on \u201cpotential additional restrictions and rules aimed at protecting minors online.\u201d The piece<\/a> quotes a European Commission spokesperson, who says the panel should begin work early in 2026.<\/p>\n

One issue on the table will be social media regulation<\/a> in line with Australia\u2019s law prohibiting kids under 16 from using select social platforms. The EU has also seen talk of a digital age of majority across the bloc, which could also land on the panel\u2019s agenda.<\/p>\n

Ireland, too, is pushing ahead with the conversation about children\u2019s online safety. A release from the Minister for Culture, Communications and Sport, Patrick O\u2019 Donovan, says regulator Coimisi\u00fan na Me\u00e1n has made \u201cgreat progress\u201d in implementing Ireland\u2019s online safety framework.<\/p>\n

\u201cNow, we must ensure that the measures that have been put in place are as effective as possible, and the key to this will be the introduction of a robust and secure age verification<\/a> tool. It is a vital part of the picture in terms of providing real assurance that children are the age they claim to be and to ensure they are not exposed to harmful or illegal content.\u201d<\/p>\n

Ireland assumes the presidency of the EU in 2026, and has promised to prioritize the issue.<\/p>\n

Is Ofcom a shark without teeth?<\/p>\n

Meanwhile in the UK, there is continued criticism of the pace at which regulator Ofcom has flexed its muscles in enforcing the Online Safety Act (OSA). Ofcom has steadily issued fines since it adopted the enforcement role; its most recent, a 1 million pound (1.3 million dollar) fine against adult content network operator AVS Group, is the largest to date.<\/p>\n

But if a fine gets thrown into a forest, is anyone forced to pay it? AVS has reportedly implemented age assurance<\/a> (with improved liveness!) on most of its sites since the fine, suggesting that it is working toward compliance. For biometric services, it has enlisted AgeVerif<\/a>, a Portugal-based firm certified by the UK Age Check Certification Scheme<\/a> to provide \u201chighly effective age assurance,\u201d per Ofcom\u2019s requirements.<\/p>\n

Some, however, believe that fines will never be enough, and that direct action is the only guaranteed route to compliance. Ofcom\u2019s enforcement mandate includes \u201cbusiness disruption measures\u201d for continued infringements, including service restrictions on payment providers, advertising networks and search engines, and restrictions on app stores. Ultimately, it can appeal to the courts to block sites, if it deemed is appropriate and proportionate for preventing significant harm to people in the UK.<\/p>\n

MLex quotes Iain Corby<\/a>, executive director of the Age Verification Providers Association (AVPA<\/a>), who is among those pushing for disruptive measures. He believes they are \u201cthe only thing that\u2019s ever going to work.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cFor a company that\u2019s completely ignoring Ofcom, I don\u2019t see why there\u2019s any reason, having ticked the box to say they\u2019ve now issued the fine, that they don\u2019t quickly move on to blocking AVS sites,\u201d Corby says.<\/p>\n

Ofcom, for its part, says blocking any site would be a \u201csignificant regulatory intervention, and applications would not be made routinely or lightly.\u201d<\/p>\n

At stake is not just a few porn sites, but Ofcom\u2019s credibility as an enforcer. The specter of U.S. influence looms, and while no one would admit to caving in the face of threats, Ofcom also does presumably not want to pick a fight with a hostile superpower.<\/p>\n

A representative tells MLex that, having received some shoddy paperwork from AVS Group, the UK regulator has \u201cordered reassessments.\u201d<\/p>\n

It is, in the parlance, weak sauce \u2013 and more fuel for fears that Ofcom\u2019s enforcement regime could end up as nothing more than a big wagging finger with no claws to speak of.<\/p>\n

\t\t\t\tArticle Topics<\/p>\n

age verification<\/a> \u00a0|\u00a0 Digital Services Act<\/a> \u00a0|\u00a0 EU age verification<\/a> \u00a0|\u00a0 Ireland<\/a> \u00a0|\u00a0 Ofcom<\/a> \u00a0|\u00a0 Online Safety Act<\/a> \u00a0|\u00a0 regulation<\/a> \u00a0|\u00a0 UK age verification<\/a><\/p>\n

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