Ofcom wants TikTok, Instagram and more to take scam ads seriously
Ofcom wants platforms like TikTok, Instagram and YouTube to take more action against scam adverts.
Ofcom wants platforms like TikTok, Instagram and YouTube to take more action against scam adverts.
The regulator has unveiled draft measures proposing that big tech companies need to do more to help people avoid falling victim to online scams.
Ofcom online safety director Oliver Griffiths said: "For too long, victims have been exposed to scam ads on line with tech giants simply not doing enough to combat the fraudsters using their platforms.
"We expect firms to take robust action to stamp out scam ads and boot out the bad actors behind them to safeguard their users."
As reported by the BBC, Ofcom says over half of adults in the UK have seen potentially fraudulent ads online, and over a third see them often.
If the proposal becomes law, companies failing to comply could face a fine of the greater amount between £18 million or 10 percent of their global turnover.
Recommended measures include banning those posting scams while stopping them from making new accounts.
Griffiths added: "And sites and apps that fail to meet their legal duties, once in force, can expect to face serious consequences."
Under the Online Safety Act, the companies that fall under Category 1, 2A and 2B will face additional requirements, as they must put systems in place to stop users seeing fraudulent ads, quickly remove reported content, and minimise how long offending content is up.
These platforms include Facebook, Instagram, Quora, Reddit, Pinterest, Snapchat, TikTok, YouTube, WhatsApp, Roblox and X.
Meanwhile, Wikipedia, Meta's Messenger and Threads, and Apple's iMessage are all being monitored as possible "emerging Category 1 services".
