Ofcom to publish new social media safety measures
Social media companies face significant fines if they don’t adhere to Ofcom’s strict new safety measures, which will be officially released in December. The regulator says the “time for talk is over” and that digital platforms must act swiftly to remove harmful and illegal content.
Ofcom’s chief executive, Melanie Dawes, added: "From December, tech firms will be legally required to start taking action, meaning 2025 will be a pivotal year in creating a safer life online."
YouTube Premium Lite makes a comeback
YouTube users fed up with paying £11.99 per month for ‘Premium’ will be happy to hear a more affordable tier is being tested. YouTube confirmed this week that some users in Australia, Germany, and Thailand can now sign up for a ‘Premium Lite’ plan, which is around half the cost of the high-end option.
However, the features are more limited: there’s no offline downloads, background play, or YouTube Music, but it does remove ads. The move comes a year after YouTube shut down ‘Lite’ in most countries.
Instagram launches new features to prevent sextortion
Instagram confirmed this week that it will prevent users from screenshotting and recording “view once” content in direct messages. It’s part of the platform’s efforts to mitigate the risks of sextortion on the platform.
Meta also announced several other new features designed to stop users from being tricked into sending intimate images and videos to scammers. The company’s head of global safety, Antigone Davis, says there are now “built-in protections” to keep teens safe.
Google Shopping gets an AI overhaul
Google is tapping into the power of AI again, this time to revamp the Shopping format. In the coming weeks, users will see changes including:
- AI-generated summaries of fashion-related searches
- Dynamic filters for size and availability
- Virtual try-on options powered by AI and AR tech
- Customised home feeds based on previous purchases and user preferences
- A dedicated deals page tailored to users’ shopping habits
Google has gone big on artificial intelligence in 2024, so it’s no surprise to see the tech make its way to Shopping, which features over 45 billion product listings.
Microsoft updates Bing Webmaster Tools
Microsoft updated its Bing Webmaster Tools this week. Webmasters can now dig into 16 months of data - up from the previous six - and access a list of “personalised and actionable” insights in the “Recommendations” feature.
Bing Webmaster is Microsoft’s equivalent of Google Search Console. And like its rival, AI is now being used to shake things up. Microsoft previewed the upcoming Copilot integration this week, which will allow users to enter queries and receive “instant, accurate, and contextually relevant answers”.
X confirms “block is changing soon”
X’s plans to allow blocked users to see content are closer to going live. Users received a notification this week about the changes, which confirmed that blocked accounts will soon be able to view posts, but not engage with them.
The move has been criticised because it’s likely to increase the risk of cyberstalking and other destructive patterns of online behaviour. Elon Musk first announced that the blocking feature would be overhauled in the summer.
