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Recently, the UK communications regulator Ofcom recommended that technology companies take stronger measures to ensure online safety, particularly for children, by preventing illegal content from being accessible. Ofcom is also preparing binding legislation aimed at blocking illegal content from reaching the public, with a special focus on protecting young users.

The draft legislation centers on key measures, including:

• Preventing illegal content from becoming widely accessible;
• Blocking illegal content before it becomes publicly available;
• Providing enhanced legal protections to safeguard children online.

In Ethiopia, Federal Computer Crime Proclamation No. 958/2016 addresses the safety of children and public morals in the digital space. According to the law:

1. Anyone who uses a computer system to create, distribute, sell, or share explicit material depicting minors engaged in sexual activity, or uses adults pretending to be minors, faces rigorous imprisonment from three to ten years.
2. Those who recruit or incite minors into sexual activity by distributing explicit messages, images, or videos through computer systems face imprisonment for five to ten years.

These legal provisions reflect Ethiopia’s commitment to protecting children and society from harmful online content.