Beautiful Virgin Islands

Thursday, Jun 26, 2025

Social media firms 'must raise protection against harm'

Social media firms 'must raise protection against harm'

A group of young Welsh people are calling for social media platforms to improve processes for reporting harmful content.

TikTok and Meta bosses faced questions from students at Pontypridd High School in Rhondda Cynon Taf.

Platforms said they listen to feedback from users and encourage them to make use of safety features.

The event was organised by Alex Davies-Jones MP as the UK government's online safety bill goes through Parliament.

"There's barely a day that goes by that I don't experience something negative", said 17-year-old Caitlin.

"I personally think social media's pretty dangerous."

Caitlin received abuse online after posting about Manchester United's Mason Greenwood


"Scrolling through TikTok yesterday and there's many challenges aimed at young girls to eat roughly 300-400 calories in a day….[and] it could trigger many eating disorders."

Many of Caitlin's attempts to report harmful content have been unsuccessful.

"I think the reporting process should be looked into a bit more, since it takes so long for things to be taken down, by the time they are taken down, the harm's already been made."

TikTok said it strictly removes content that promotes disordered eating.

Caitlin had to deal with online abuse after posting about Manchester United Footballer Mason Greenwood being arrested on suspicion of rape. He has denied the claim.


'I feel like we're being pushed back'


"I spoke about the whole Mason Greenwood situation and I got told I need to get beat up about it. "

"I feel like because of social media women's voices are being heard less, I feel like we're being pushed back a bit."

"It's kind of like a war on us in a way. It's like we can't really speak without having harm wanted against us".

Seventeen-year-old Isabelle said she sees a lot of body positive content on social media


Others highlighted positive aspects of social media, such as keeping in touch with friends and self-love campaigns.

"There's a lot of body positive things that go around now that never used to," said 17-year-old Isabelle.

Pupils working on a project to improve online safety were given the chance to quiz tech giants at a virtual event.

Megan Thomas from Meta, Facebook's parent company, and TikTok's Alexandra Evans spoke to the pupils about harmful content


"Young people feel it is very difficult to report and remove upsetting content. How can you make this process easier?" asked 13-year-old Brooke.

TikTok's head of safety public policy in Europe, Alexandra Evans, said she thinks the platforms reporting mechanisms are "intuitive" but welcomes feedback from users on how they are struggling.


Blocking functions


She also highlighted blocking functions: "For example, if you don't like the word 'hate' or 'loser', whatever it may be, you can set a list of words that you will always get filtered from your comments."

Megan Thomas, public policy associate manager at Meta, which owns Facebook and Instagram, said the company has recently developed new features "designed to help prevent people from having to experience any kind of harmful content on our platforms in the first place."

The UK government says its Online Safety Bill will "deliver major improvements to the safety of women and girls"


Poppi, 13, wanted to know how many offensive posts are taken down each day, and what consequences are in place for repeat offenders.

Both representatives said they did not know the daily figure, but pointed to quarterly reports.

"There's a spectrum of harm, there's a spectrum of behaviours and we try to be really specific in our responses", said TikTok's Ms Evans.

"But also when it comes to those egregious cases, when it comes to those absolute zero-tolerance behaviours, we are all working together to make sure that we are responding and stamping out that kind of activity across all of our platforms."

New online safety laws are being introduced by the UK government, but Labour MP for Pontypridd and shadow technology minister Alex Davies-Jones warned of "loopholes" in the legislation,

A UK government spokesperson said: "Our pioneering Online Safety Bill will already deliver major improvements to the safety of women and girls from criminalising cyber flashing to protecting young girls from harmful content."

They added that failure to act by social media companies could result in heavy fines.


Teenagers said they had come across bullying left in social media comments


Newsletter

Related Articles

Beautiful Virgin Islands
0:00
0:00
Close
Australia's Star Casino Secures $195 Million Rescue Package Amid Challenges
UK to Enhance Nuclear Capabilities with Acquisition of F-35A Fighter Jets
Russian Shadow Payments via Cryptocurrency Reach $9 Billion
Explosions Rock Doha as Iranian Missiles Target Qatar
“You Have 12 Hours to Flee”: Israeli Threat Campaign Targets Surviving Iranian Officials
Macron and Merz: Europe must arm itself in an unstable world
Germany and Italy Under Pressure to Repatriate $245bn of Gold from US Vaults
Airlines Evaluate Flight Cancellations Amid Escalating US-Iran Tensions
Starmer Invites Innovators to Join Government Talent Scheme
UK Economy’s Strong Opening Quarter Shows Signs of Cooling
Harrods Seeks Court Order to Secure Al Fayed Estate for Victims
BA and Singapore Airlines Cancel Dubai Flights Amid Middle East Tensions
Trump Faces Backlash from MAGA Base Over Iran Strikes
Meta Bets $14 B on Alexandr Wang to Drive AI Ambitions
WATCH: Israeli forces show the aftermath of a massive airstrike at Iran's Isfahan nuclear site
FedEx Founder Fred Smith, ‘Heart and Soul’ of the Company, Dies at 80
Chinese Factories Shift Away from U.S. Amid Trump‑Era Tariffs
Pimco Seizes Opportunity in Japan’s Dislocated Bond Market
Labubu Doll Drives Pop Mart to Status as China’s Most Valuable Toy Maker
Global Coal Demand Defies Paris Accord Goals
We have new information and breaking details to share about what is shaping up to be a historic air campaign tonight
Six Massive Bombs Dropped on Fordow; Trump: 'A Historic Moment for the U.S., Israel, and the World'
Fordow: Deeply Buried Iranian Enrichment Site in U.S.–Israel Crosshairs
United States Conducts Precision Strikes on Iran’s Nuclear Sites
US strikes Iran nuclear sites, Trump says
Pakistan to nominate Trump for Nobel Peace Prize.
BBC Demands Perplexity AI Immediately Stop Using Its Content
Telegram Founder: I Will Leave My Fortune to Over 100 of My Children
Political Turmoil Resurfaces in Belgium Amid Economic Concerns
Fed policymakers divided on timing of interest rate cuts
Trump signals imminent agreement with Harvard University
Inheritance tax referendum alarms Swiss billionaire community
Japan cancels bilateral security meeting amid US defence demands
AI skeptic Emily Bender warns that ‘the emperor has no clothes’
Israel Confirms Assassination of Quds Force Commander in Tehran
16 Billion Login Credentials Leaked in Unprecedented Cybersecurity Breach
Senate hearing on who was 'really running' Biden White House kicks off
Iranian Military Officers Reportedly Seek Contact with Reza Pahlavi, Signal Intent to Defect
FBI and Senate Investigate Allegations of Chinese Plot to Influence the 2020 Election in Biden’s Favor Using Fake U.S. Driver’s Licenses
Vietnam Emerges as Luxury Yacht Destination for Ultra‑Rich
Plans to Sell Dutch Embassy in Bangkok Face Local Opposition
China's Iranian Oil Imports Face Disruption Amid Escalating Middle East Tensions
Trump's $5 Million 'Trump Card' Visa Program Draws Nearly 70,000 Applicants
DGCA Finds No Major Safety Concerns in Air India's Boeing 787 Fleet
Airlines Reroute Flights Amid Expanding Middle East Conflict Zones
Elon Musk's xAI Seeks $9.3 Billion in Funding Amid AI Expansion
Trump Demands Iran's Unconditional Surrender Amid Escalating Conflict
Israeli Airstrike Targets Iranian State TV in Central Tehran
President Trump is leaving the G7 summit early and has ordered the National Security Council to the Situation Room
Taiwan Imposes Export Ban on Chips to Huawei and SMIC
×