In This Week’s Plugged In by Wired Parents, the UK is tightening its grip on online harms. A new amendment to the Online Safety Act will make content that encourages serious self-harm a priority offence for all ages, not just children. Platforms will be legally required to prevent such material from appearing at all. Reactive takedowns will no longer be enough.
Meanwhile, Roblox has once again landed in controversy after a user-created “assassination simulator” game went viral before being pulled. Over 100 similar games were removed, but the speed of spread has drawn scrutiny from US authorities and reignited concerns about whether open, user-driven platforms can ever be made truly safe for children.
And in Westminster, a petition calling for a ban on under-16s opening social media accounts has gathered over 127,000 signatures and will be debated in February. While the government has signalled caution on a blanket ban, the discussion raises fresh questions about whether the current 13+ rule is fit for purpose.
TL;DR: Crackdowns, Controversies & Calls for Change
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NEED TO KNOW
🫸 UK Tightens Rules to Block Self-Harm Content for All Ages
The UK government plans to amend the Online Safety Act so that content encouraging or assisting serious self-harm becomes a “priority offence” for users of all ages.
Platforms will be legally required to actively prevent such content from appearing in the first place, using advanced tech, not just reactive moderation.
Self-harm content protection currently focuses on children, but the new rules extend safeguards to adults too, recognising that vulnerable people across society need protection.
The regulations are expected to take effect 21 days after they’re made, once approved by both Houses of Parliament.
The government emphasises that removal or suppression is not enough; they want preemptive measures and stronger legal accountability for platforms.
It’s Not Just Children
Until now, much of the focus has been on protecting children from harmful content, but the new rules acknowledge that adults are also at risk. For families, this matters because younger and older people alike may be exposed or triggered by self-harm content. Platforms will no longer be able to treat extreme self-harm material as something optional to police but something that must be prevented.
What You Can Do
Know the signs: sudden changes in mood, talk of worthlessness, or exposure to self-harm content may indicate distress.
Proactive filtering: use platform settings that block or filter self-harm content where available.
Open conversations: talk with teens and family members about mental health, urging them to come forward if they see or feel something troubling.
Use support resources: encourage use of helplines, mental health services, and crisis support when needed.
Watch platform updates: keep an eye on how social platforms change policies or settings in response to the new law.
Sources: CNN | NY Attorney General
🥷 Roblox Under Fire Over “Assassination Simulator” Game
Roblox is being scrutinised after a user-created game mimicking the assassination of Charlie Kirk appeared on the platform.
Within hours, Roblox removed over 100 “experiences” referencing the incident.
The platform allows users, many under 13, to create and share their own games, a model that makes moderation extremely challenging.
Authorities are pressing Roblox on its safety systems. Oklahoma’s Attorney General has launched an investigation, accusing Roblox of lacking adequate oversight.
Critics argue the incident shows how quickly violent, disturbing content can spread on platforms aimed at children, testing the boundaries of moderation and platform responsibility.
Roblox isn’t just a safe play space: its open, user-generated design means risky content can appear, even violently so. What happened in this case shows how the line between entertainment and harm can be crossed quickly.
What You Can Do
Monitor what games your child is playing—check developer info and user reviews.
Use parental controls: block untrusted games, restrict new content, require approval.
Discuss content boundaries: help children understand why some games are inappropriate, even if they seem “just for fun.”
Report offending content immediately through Roblox’s tools.
Balance with offline life: encourage hobbies, sports, art—things that don’t expose kids to extreme or violent user content.
Source: Washington Post
🇬🇧 UK Petition for 16+ Social Media Age Takes Parliamentary Stage
An e-petition—called 700086—calls for a ban on under-16s creating social media accounts. A Westminster Hall debate is scheduled for 24 February 2025.
Under the UK GDPR, children can access “information society services” (including social media, gaming, apps) from age 13, meaning most platforms operate legally with a 13+ baseline.
The Online Safety Act 2023 already mandates protections: rapid removal of illegal content, restrictions on harmful or age-inappropriate content, and age checks for explicit material.
The petition, signed by over 127,000 people, argues that raising the minimum age could curb bullying, misinformation, and harmful content exposure for children.
The government responded in December 2024, saying it supports platform safety but is not currently in favour of a blanket ban under 16.
Instead, the government is prioritising implementation of the Online Safety Act, working with Ofcom and commissioning more research on the effects of digital media on children.
What Else Would This Change?
The petition reignites a core debate: should the entry age for social media be raised? If laws change, many platforms might require stricter age verification, shifting boundaries far beyond just theoretical discussion.
Source: The Guardian
IN THE KNOW
Day in the life videos showcasing Gen Z’s blue-collar stories on TikTok
Free Play and Mental Health: What We Know, What We Don’t (via After Babel)
Creepy & unsettling - What living with an AI toy is really like
Boy’s social isolation warning signs - how to talk to them about what they are doing online
For more articles from the week, head over to Wired-Parents.com
LOOKING AHEAD
AI Chatbot Safety Developments: The FTC announced it is issuing orders to seven companies including Meta, OpenAI, Alphabet, xAI and Snap to investigate how their AI chatbots potentially negatively affect children and teenagers, seeking information about how these companies evaluate safety when chatbots act as companions
WELLBEING
🫥 The Basement Generation
Registered nurse and ScreenStrong founder Melanie Hempe argues that whilst parents focus on protecting girls from social media, boys face a parallel crisis through video game addiction - creating a "basement generation" of young men withdrawing from real-world development.
Hempe identifies what she sees as dangerous parental blind spots that allow gaming addiction to flourish unnoticed:
"It's just a game" - She argues parents don't understand that modern games like Fortnite and Grand Theft Auto contain violent and sexual content far removed from classic arcade games. She urges parents to actually watch their children play: "Have you visited the strip club in Grand Theft Auto? Watched a prostitute climb into a car, perform a sex act, then get shot in the back so the player can earn points?"
She contends that online gaming lacks the physical, face-to-face elements boys need for healthy development, and that virtual relationships can't replace real-world friendships and experiences. She describes a cycle where boys become increasingly isolated: "The deeper he sinks into the game, the more he plays. The more he plays, the lonelier he becomes. And the lonelier he feels, the more he turns back to the game."
Her argues that boys are becoming "unprepared for the real world," with young women reporting they won't date gamers because "all the men are still boys, still living at home in their parents' basements."
What research actually shows: Recent studies present a more complex picture. A 2024 UNICEF study involving children from the US, Chile, and South Africa found that well-designed digital games can support children's autonomy, competence, creativity, and social relationships. The research showed that "digital play has a particularly positive impact on children's well-being when it responds to their deep interests, needs and desires."
Multiple studies contradict some addiction claims:
A 2022 study in the Journal of the American Medical Association found children who played video games for three or more hours daily performed better on cognitive tasks involving impulse control and working memory
Columbia University research found high video game usage associated with 1.75 times higher odds of intellectual functioning and 1.88 times higher odds of school competence
NIH research tracking nearly 12,000 children found gaming may improve cognitive performance without increasing aggression
The research suggests: Games can improve problem-solving skills, hand-eye coordination, and even provide therapeutic benefits for children with ADHD and depression. However, these benefits depend on game design, time limits, and family context.
What parents need to know: This isn't a simple "games bad" vs "games good" debate. Hempe's concerns about violent content, excessive use, and social isolation reflect real issues some families face. Research suggests the content, duration, and context of gaming matter more than complete elimination.
Families worldwide are navigating these decisions differently based on their children's individual responses, existing research and family values. Rather than following absolute rules from any single source, parents might benefit from understanding both the concerns and the research, observing their own children's responses and making informed decisions that work for their families.
Sources:
What are your thoughts on this? Let us know in the comments below 👇
🆘 Wired Extra: This Week's Quick Hits
✅ Word Your Kid Probably Knows: “Slay”
Doing something extremely well, with confidence and style.
🔧 Tech Tip for Tired Parents: Pin important messages
Pin key conversations for quick access (school groups etc) on Whatsapp or iMessage.
ET CETERA
😌 “You know what’s underrated? Letting people be.”
🕶️ AI glasses helping visually impaired people with everyday tasks.
🏃♂️ Harry Styles completes Berlin Marathon in seriously impressive time.
🍝 Important question: why can’t you break spaghetti into two pieces?
✍️ Writing by hand. School teachers are going old school in the fight against AI.
PUZZLES & TIPS
Answers To Last Week’s Brain Teasers
What does this mean? I RIGHT I
Right between the eyes.
Congrats to Mark, UK for the correct answers!
This Week’s Brain Teasers
A man stands on one side of a river, his dog on the other. The man calls his dog, who immediately crosses the river without getting wet and without using a bridge or a boat. How did the dog do it?
Answers next week!
SHARING IS CARING
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