Monetising harmful content
Significant regulatory gap in digital advertising allowing the monetisation of harmful content, with insufficient industry self-regulation.
84 items
3 sources
1 inquiry
Source spread
Where this theme appears
Monetising harmful content has been flagged across 3 independent accountability sources:
1 inquiry rec
2 PFD reports
81 committee recs
When the same issue appears across inquiries, coroner reports, and regulators independently, it indicates a recurring issue across the public record.
Browse by source
Source-grouped records are useful for tracing where a concern came from. Large sections show the 50 strongest matches for that source; counts still show the full theme total.
PFD Reports (2)
Molly Russell
Concerns: Internet platforms lack age verification, age-specific content control, and parental monitoring features, exposing children to harmful material through algorithms and unrestricted access.
Response (Twitter International Unlimited Company): Twitter acknowledges the concerns and highlights existing safety features, including user controls to manage content, block accounts, and a parental controls guide developed with Internet Matters.
Response (META): Meta highlights existing tools and policies, including content moderation, reporting options, and parental supervision features. They also mention partnerships with experts and engagement with the UK Online Safety Bill.
Response (Snap): Snap highlights existing safety measures and resources, including reporting tools, partnerships with mental health organizations, and extra protections for under 18s. They mention a Global Safety Advisory Board that includes …
Response (Pinterest): Pinterest commits to limiting the distribution of depressive content to teens, updating its self-harm policy for stricter enforcement, partnering with a third-party content checking service, improving moderation processes, and expanding …
Response (Department for Digital Culture Media Sport): The government plans to strengthen online protections for children via the Online Safety Bill, including requiring platforms to publish risk assessments and naming the Children's Commissioner as a statutory consultee …
Overdue
Isabella Shere
Concerns: Quora's platform contains easily accessible, unmoderated content related to self-harm and suicide, lacking age verification and featuring engagement functions that normalise serious subject matter for children.
Response (Ofcom): Ofcom outlines its role in implementing the Online Safety Act 2023, including developing codes of practice, working with industry to secure higher protection for children, and taking enforcement action against …
Response (Department for Science Innovation and Technology): The Department for Science, Innovation and Technology acknowledges the coroner's concerns and states that the Online Safety Act 2023 will place duties on tech companies to protect users online, especially …
Overdue
Committee Recommendations (81) — showing 50 strongest matches
#37 — Empower Ofcom to issue penalty notices to platforms for monetising harmful content on their services.
Recommendation: There are insufficient disincentives for bad practice in the digital advertising market. Bad actors can exploit the ecosystem, monetising harmful content through major platforms. Following Principle 3, Ofcom should be empowered to give penalty notices to platforms when they allow …
Gov response: The Online Safety Act introduces duties for in-scope services to implement proportionate systems and processes for mitigating risks to users’ safety. Regulated services are required to monitor how effective these systems and processes are. Accordingly, …
Not Accepted
#36 — Mandate ‘Know Your Customer’ checks and platform data disclosure for digital advertising supply chain transparency.
Recommendation: The internet, and social media, could not operate without digital advertising. Given its implications for public safety, as per Principle 5, there needs to be heightened transparency in the market processes of online advertising. Government should mandate ‘Know Your Customer’ …
Gov response: Digital Advertising is a core component supporting growth of the Advertising sector, as outlined in the Government’s Creative Industries Sector Plan published on 23 June 2025. While we acknowledge that there are concerns around trust …
Not Addressed
#35 — Mandate the Advertising Standards Authority to establish comprehensive digital advertising ecosystem guidelines for all actors.
Recommendation: To tackle the incentive behind amplified misinformation—namely, the monetisation of harmful content—there should be clear and enforceable standards for digital advertising market processes, as well as advertising content. Following our Principles 1, 3 and 5, government should ask the Advertising …
Gov response: [...truncated...] onest and truthful. Targeting of advertising that is for age- restricted products, and setting standards for processes in the digital ecosystem would be outside that remit. The Gold Standard is a certification scheme run …
Not Accepted
#34 — Establish new arms-length body or extend Ofcom's powers to regulate digital advertising supply chain.
Recommendation: Tackling online harm means addressing the principles that incentivise and monetise its spread. In line with Principle 3, responsibility, the government should create a new arms-length body—not funded by industry—to regulate and scrutinise the process of digital advertising, covering the …
Gov response: The Online Safety Act introduces duties for in-scope services to implement proportionate systems and processes for mitigating risks to users’ safety. Regulated services are required to monitor how effective these systems and processes are. Accordingly, …
Not Accepted
#33 — Significant regulatory gap in digital advertising allows harmful content monetisation; self-regulation is insufficient.
Recommendation: There is a regulatory gap around digital advertising, as much of the regulation and interventions have been industry-led and focused on tackling harmful advertising content, as opposed to the monetisation of harmful content through advertising. We are not convinced that …
Gov response: The government is committed to a safer online world and we urge providers to counter the spread of mis- and disinformation on their services. The government recognises that online misinformation has the potential to cause …
Not Addressed
#32 — Google's monetisation of misinformation highlights systemic failures within the digital advertising industry.
Recommendation: In particular, we were concerned by evidence that Google may have helped to monetise misinformation relating to the attacks, contributing to the violence. This is unacceptable, and is just one example of a much wider problem with the digital advertising …
Gov response: The government is committed to a safer online world and we urge providers to counter the spread of mis- and disinformation on their services. The government recognises that online misinformation has the potential to cause …
Not Addressed
#31 — Under-regulated digital advertising market incentivises and monetises harmful content, often without advertisers' knowledge.
Recommendation: The global digital advertising market is overcomplicated, opaque and under-regulated, operating through an enormous, automated and inaccessible supply chain. This directly leads to the production, viral spread and monetisation of harmful and deceptive content, often without advertisers’ knowledge. Platforms and …
Gov response: The government is committed to a safer online world and we urge providers to counter the spread of mis- and disinformation on their services. The government recognises that online misinformation has the potential to cause …
Not Addressed
#26 — Review Online Safety Act's fitness for purpose in tackling hateful online extremism.
Recommendation: The Government should review whether the existing legislative framework, including the Online Safety Act, is fit for purpose in tackling hateful extremism. The review should specifically consider whether further regulation is required to tackle the posting of and promotion of …
Gov response: Government response: Police Training
Under Consideration
#25 — Online platforms facilitate religious hatred with inadequate regulation and consequences.
Recommendation: At present people can stir up religious hatred online in the knowledge that their comments are unlikely to be removed and, except in the most extreme cases, are unlikely to face any consequences for their actions. While some individuals have …
Gov response: 68. We agree with the Committee that the role of the online environment is of particular concern. The speed with which hateful and violent content can spread online is unprecedented. What is unacceptable offline should …
No Published Response
#27 — Extend legislation to prohibit individuals or companies enabling or profiting from another's online prostitution.
Recommendation: Legislation which bans third party profit-taking from the prostitution of another person should be extended to prohibit any individual or company from enabling and/ or profiting from the prostitution of another person, including facilitation that takes place via online, digital …
Gov response: 27. The Government is aware of different legislative approaches to prostitution across Europe, including in Northern Ireland, where all buying of sex has been criminalised and selling decriminalised. We have yet to see unequivocal evidence …
Under Consideration
#7 —
Recommendation: We recommend that the Government introduces mandatory restrictions on high-risk and addictive design features, such as infinite scrolling, disappearing messages and algorithmic messages for under-18s, with appropriate age-related restrictions enabled by default, rather than relying on voluntary measures or user …
Response Pending
#3 —
Recommendation: The Committee is clear that the companies whose platforms are responsible for these harms cannot be left to self-regulate. We recommend that the Government treats online harms to children explicitly as a safeguarding and public health issue, rather than relying …
Response Pending
#1 —
Recommendation: The Committee concludes that online harms affecting children are widespread, severe and systemic. The evidence we heard demonstrates clear links between children’s exposure to harmful online content (including material promoting self-harm, suicide, eating disorders, misogyny and sexual exploitation) and serious …
Response Pending
#17 —
Recommendation: The move online by pension scammers has been a recurring theme of our inquiry. Regulators appear powerless to hold online firms to account for hosting scam advertisements in the same way they would be able to for traditional media. Scammers …
Gov response: We believe that education will always be one of the most effective weapons against scammers. It would be far tougher for scammers to succeed if individuals can spot a scam and do not hand over …
Under Consideration
#29 — Utilise existing legislation to investigate and hold accountable websites facilitating sexual exploitation trafficking.
Recommendation: Until new legislation is introduced prohibiting profiting from or enabling the prostitution of another person, law enforcement should utilise all available legislation to investigate and hold accountable websites that facilitate trafficking for sexual exploitation. This includes legislation prohibiting companies from …
Gov response: 30. The Government shares the Committee’s concern on this issue, and we continue to address forced labour in global supply chains through Section 54 of the Modern Slavery Act 2015. These provisions have resulted in …
Under Consideration
#28 — Implement all measures to tackle online sexual exploitation trafficking, including targeting money laundering.
Recommendation: The Home Office and law enforcement should be taking all measures possible to tackle trafficking for sexual exploitation online, so that it is no longer so easy or profitable for perpetrators to make money from sexual exploitation, including by ‘following …
Gov response: 30. The Government shares the Committee’s concern on this issue, and we continue to address forced labour in global supply chains through Section 54 of the Modern Slavery Act 2015. These provisions have resulted in …
Under Consideration
#26 — Websites advertising prostitution facilitate sexual exploitation; collaboration with them is inexplicable and ineffective.
Recommendation: Websites advertising prostitution significantly facilitate trafficking for sexual exploitation. The threat posed by websites advertising prostitution, the continuing failure of their owners to implement even the most basic safeguards against pimping and trafficking, and the sheer scale of trafficking for …
Gov response: 27. The Government is aware of different legislative approaches to prostitution across Europe, including in Northern Ireland, where all buying of sex has been criminalised and selling decriminalised. We have yet to see unequivocal evidence …
Under Consideration
#38 —
Recommendation: Pending any legislative changes, the FCA should continue to work with online platforms such as Google to remove misleading and fraudulent adverts as quickly as possible, to protect customers from scams. (Paragraph 193) The Financial Conduct Authority’s Regulation of London …
Gov response: The inclusion of fraud in scope of the Online Safety Bill will have a real impact on protecting people from the devastating impact of scams posted on social media and dating sites. Furthermore, the Government …
Not Addressed
#37 —
Recommendation: We recommend that the Government should include measures to address fraud via online advertising in the Online Safety Bill, in the interests of preventing further harm to customers being offered fraudulent financial products.
Gov response: The inclusion of fraud in scope of the Online Safety Bill will have a real impact on protecting people from the devastating impact of scams posted on social media and dating sites. Furthermore, the Government …
Not Addressed
#35 —
Recommendation: It is very disappointing to see that despite the numerous representations made to the Government, measures to address fraud via online advertising have not been included in the draft Online Safety Bill. This is a missed opportunity to act and …
Gov response: The inclusion of fraud in scope of the Online Safety Bill will have a real impact on protecting people from the devastating impact of scams posted on social media and dating sites. Furthermore, the Government …
Not Addressed
#21 —
Recommendation: Safe harbour provisions that have been transposed into UK law have profoundly impacted the market for digital music consumption. YouTube’s dominance of the music streaming market shows that the market has tipped. Safe harbour gives services that host user-generated content …
Gov response: The Government agrees that rightsholders should be properly remunerated when their works are used and shared online, for example on user-generated content platforms like YouTube. It also recognises that many testimonies to the Committee’s inquiry …
Not Addressed
#21 —
Recommendation: The Joint Committee on the Draft Online Safety Bill concluded that self-regulation of online platforms had failed. It is true that there have been many failings, and it is right that action should now be taken to place more responsibility …
Gov response: The government takes the threat of economic crime extremely seriously and has developed robust processes to ensure an effective and coordinated response. This involves departments across government, regulatory and enforcement agencies, and the private sector, …
Not Addressed
#39 —
Recommendation: We recommend that the Advertising Standards Authority introduce a requirement to the UK Code of Non-broadcast Advertising (CAP Code) for virtual influencers to be watermarked. Intermediaries
Gov response: 1. We understand ‘virtual influencers’ are fictional, sometimes computer-generated people who typically have realistic characteristics, features and personalities of humans. The content they deliver is created by individuals, brands, agencies etc, who remain anonymous and …
Not Accepted
#4 —
Recommendation: Harmful extremist content is circulating widely online, driven by engagement and profit-maximising algorithms, influencer-led dissemination, and decentralised extremist ecosystems. These systems promote content designed to provoke outrage and fear, often purely for commercial reasons, and the speed and scale of …
Response Pending
#15 —
Recommendation: The suppression of vital online information about women’s health is a pressing issue, which requires immediate action. The assurances provided to us by the Minister were inadequate. We do not share the Government’s confidence that the Online Safety Act 2023’s …
Response Pending
#17 —
Recommendation: The Government should monitor how effectively any new communications offences that are enacted—in particular, the Law Commission’s proposed harm-based offence—protect people from, and provide redress for victims of, online abuse, while also respecting freedom of expression online. We recommend that …
Gov response: We welcome the Committee’s recommendations regarding the Law Commission’s review, ‘Modernising the Communications Offences.’ The government’s interim response to the Law Commission’s review confirmed that the Bill will incorporate the Law Commission’s recommended harmful communications …
Not Addressed
#3 —
Recommendation: Our predecessor Petitions Committee’s report concluded that self-regulation of social media had failed. Despite the user safety tools and innovations platforms have introduced since then, these companies have continued to place insufficient priority on user safety to protect users from …
Gov response: We thank the Committee for this recommendation. The government has taken a consultative approach throughout the Bill’s development. The Bill is clear on what the Secretary of State’s review of the regulatory framework must consider. …
Under Consideration
#17 — Online safety compliance will take time, as shown by video-sharing platform regulation experience.
Recommendation: Ofcom told us that it had undertaken a similar approach in its regulation of video- sharing platforms from November 2020. It had worked with pornography providers, some of whom had, as a result, introduced age estimation techniques. However, there had …
Not Addressed
#58 — Deliver commitments from Fraud Strategy, including online fraud charter, by year-end.
Recommendation: We support the commitment in the Government’s Fraud Strategy to “make the tech sector commit to protect their customers through legislation and voluntary commitments” and “help banks slow down suspicious payments.” We urge the Home Office to deliver on those …
Gov response: The Online Fraud Charter was published on 30 November 2023. The Charter is split into several areas of detailed commitments. It includes actions focused on: a) Blocking frauds from occurring in the first place. b) …
Accepted
#2 —
Recommendation: These harms are not accidental or isolated, but occur because of platform design choices, including algorithmic recommendation systems, infinite scrolling, autoplay and private messaging features, which repeatedly expose children to harmful or exploitative content at a scale which reactive moderation …
Response Pending
#22 —
Recommendation: We note that the CMA has developed a pro-competition framework for tech companies with ‘strategic market status’ that dominate digital markets. The CMA should consider exploring designating YouTube’s streaming services as having strategic market status to encourage competition with its …
Gov response: The CMA notes the Committee’s recommendation to the government regarding a market study examining the dominance of the major music groups. The CMA is liaising with relevant Departments on this issue, and it is expected …
Not Addressed
#17 —
Recommendation: Music curators play an important role in the discovery and consumption of digital music and are influential in how creators are remunerated. It is, therefore, unsurprising that music creators are putting more resources into catching the eye of these curators. …
Gov response: The Government agrees with this recommendation. It has engaged with the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) who have highlighted that every instance of the interaction of commercial and editorial expression requires consideration on its own merits. …
Accepted
#16 —
Recommendation: The Government has repeatedly told us that it will not implement in UK law provisions akin to those established by the Directive on Copyright in the Digital Single Market. We accept that the Directive is not a silver bullet to …
Gov response: The Government recognises that transparency in the streaming sector is an issue and that action in this area could be of significant benefit to musicians. The Government’s view is that this is an issue that …
Under Consideration
#15 —
Recommendation: Artists and their representatives face a systemic lack of transparency from both music companies and the streaming services that license their works. This exacerbates the inequities of creator remuneration by creating information asymmetries and preventing them from undertaking their right …
Gov response: The Government recognises that transparency in the streaming sector is an issue and that action in this area could be of significant benefit to musicians. The Government’s view is that this is an issue that …
Not Addressed
#14 —
Recommendation: As long as the major record labels also dominate the market for song rights through their publishing operations, it is hard to see whether the song will be valued fairly as a result. It is well-evidenced that redressing the disparities …
Gov response: The Government notes the DCMS Select Committee’s concerns about the possible market dominance of the major music groups and the potential for contractual agreements between the major music companies and streaming services to stifle innovation …
Under Consideration
#13 —
Recommendation: Despite the general consensus that direct licensing between the record industry and streaming services is positive, there are ongoing concerns about the majors’ 106 Economics of music streaming position in negotiation, which allows them to benefit at the expense of …
Gov response: The Government believes that transparency and fairness in the global streaming environment are important and is very aware of the pressures on music creators. The Government notes the DCMS Select Committee’s concerns about the possible …
Not Addressed
#12 —
Recommendation: We recommend that the Government concurrently expand creator rights by introducing a right to recapture works and a right to contract adjustment where an artist’s royalties are disproportionately low compared to the success of their music into the Copyright, Designs …
Gov response: The Government will commission research on these issues, particularly into countries that have implemented similar measures. This will help to build the evidence base and improve our understanding of the impacts of such rights, which …
Under Consideration
#11 —
Recommendation: The Government must make sure that UK law is not enabling the outcome of market dominance. This means that independent labels must be supported to challenge the majors’ dominance and creators must be empowered to offset the disparity in negotiating …
Gov response: The Government disagrees with this recommendation. The aim of the Music Export Growth Scheme (MEGS) is to overcome the market failure of UK independent music small and medium enterprises (SMEs) having insufficient funds to run …
Not Addressed
#10 —
Recommendation: There is no doubt that the major music groups currently dominate the music industry, both in terms of overall market share in recording and (to a lesser extent) in publishing, but also through vertical integration, their acquisition of competing services …
Gov response: The Government believes that transparency and fairness in the global streaming environment are important and is very aware of the pressures on music creators. The Government notes the DCMS Select Committee’s concerns about the possible …
Not Addressed
#1 —
Recommendation: Streaming has undoubtedly helped save the music industry following two decades of digital piracy but it is clear that what has been saved does not work for everyone. The issues ostensibly created by streaming simply reflect more fundamental, structural problems …
Gov response: The publication of the Committee’s report is a key moment for the music industry. The Government welcomes it and thanks the Committee, and all those who contributed to its inquiry, for its work. This is …
Not Addressed
#14 —
Recommendation: We reiterate our strong belief that the Government should include measures to address fraud via online advertising in the Online Safety Bill, in the interests of preventing further harm to customers being offered fraudulent financial products.
Gov response: We note that the Committee has called for Government to include fraud offences in the list of ‘relevant offences’ in Clause 41(4) of the Online Safety Bill. The Government agrees with the Committee that user-generated …
Not Addressed
#13 —
Recommendation: We agree with the Joint Committee that the Draft Online Safety Bill should be amended so as to include fraud offences in the list of “relevant offences” in Clause 41(4) of the Bill. Fraudulent content should be designated as “priority …
Gov response: We note that the Committee has called for Government to include fraud offences in the list of ‘relevant offences’ in Clause 41(4) of the Online Safety Bill. The Government agrees with the Committee that user-generated …
Not Addressed
#97 —
Recommendation: We recommend that the CMA report to our Committee on the progress, costs, and results of their 2020 Facebook Ireland Ltd. undertakings. In doing so they should also provide updates on their progress securing undertakings from other social media platforms. …
Gov response: 11. The CMA has been investigating the role that platforms play in social media endorsements.6 As a result of this investigation, in October 2020, Facebook provided undertakings relating to its Instagram platform to tackle this …
Under Consideration
#86 —
Recommendation: We recommend that the ASA be given statutory powers to enforce the CAP Code. These powers should be considered as part of the Government’s upcoming Online Advertising Programme. Appropriate funding arrangements should also be considered to ensure that the ASA …
Gov response: 1. We acknowledge this recommendation is directed at the Government Online Advertising Programme. 2. We welcome the Committee’s support for the CMA to receive greater powers to enforce consumer protection law. We would highlight also …
Under Consideration
#69 —
Recommendation: We recommend that the remit of the CAP code be extended by removing the requirement for editorial ‘control’ to determine whether content constitutes an advertisement.
Gov response: 1. The ASA system ‘payment’ and ‘control’ tests have, for approximately 60 years, determined advertorial/native advertising that falls within the remit of the ASA system, and they help to ensure we—the advertising regulator—do not inappropriately …
Partially Accepted
#44 —
Recommendation: We recommend that the Government commission an industry partner to develop a code of conduct for influencer marketing alongside relevant stakeholders. The Government should then promote this code as an example of best practice for deals between influencers and brands …
Under Consideration
#28 —
Recommendation: There are clear examples of market dominance in digital markets globally which have been well documented. We heard from witnesses, and during our visit to the US, strong evidence of abuses of market dominance which warrant intervention. We encourage the …
Gov response: The Government agrees with the Select Committee that the Digital Regulation Cooperation Forum (DRCF) plays an important role in supporting a joined-up approach to digital regulation and facilitating coordination and knowledge exchange between our key …
Accepted
#9 —
Recommendation: We are glad that the Government appears to be expediting the introduction of the Digital Markets, Competition and Consumer Bill, which will be vital to redressing the unbalanced relationship between the large digital platforms and local news publishers (among many …
Gov response: The Digital Markets, Competition and Consumers Bill was introduced to Parliament on Tuesday 25 April 2023. This will give new powers to the Digital Markets Unit (DMU) in the CMA to help rebalance the relationship …
Not Addressed
#15 —
Recommendation: We support calls for the Online Safety Bill to include a foundational duty on platforms to protect users from reasonably foreseeable risks of harm identified in their risk assessments, including harm arising from abusive content that is legal but harmful …
Gov response: The government welcomes this recommendation and agrees that it is important that users are given the choice over who they interact with. The government has included new duties in the Bill on Category 1 service …
Not Accepted
#14 —
Recommendation: The Government’s regulatory proposals should encourage social media companies to prevent or reduce the risk of users being harmed by abusive and hateful content in the first place, not just remove or otherwise deal with such content as it arises. …
Gov response: All online abuse is unacceptable and will be significantly reduced by the introduction of the online safety framework, regardless of whether it is anonymous. The government has engaged with law enforcement to ensure the current …
Not Accepted