UK culture secretary urges YouTube, TikTok to promote better content for children

UK Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy has urged video-sharing platforms like YouTube and TikTok to promote higher quality educational content for children, The Guardian reported. In a letter, she highlighted a significant shift in viewing habits, with children’s television consumption dropping by over 70% in the past decade as younger audiences migrate to these platforms.

Nandy emphasized the need for a dialogue with these companies, warning of potential government intervention if they fail to comply. She noted that while there are measures to remove harmful content, the focus should also be on improving overall content quality.

Despite a 52% decline in funding for children’s television from 2002 to 2018, Nandy believes that simply increasing funding is not the solution, as it hasn’t effectively reached children who prefer online media. She has also contacted Ofcom to prioritize children’s programming in the upcoming public service broadcasting review, aiming to balance investment from major platforms with the preservation of unique British content.