Clean Up The Internet @cleanuptheinternet.org.uk · 21/09/2026Ofcom's consultation closes on 2 October. Facebook Verified is an important illustration of how their draft guidance desperately needs strengthening - including to require verification schemes to address real risks, and to set minimum standards across both verification and the filter. 000
Clean Up The Internet @cleanuptheinternet.org.uk · 21/09/2026Even worse: Ofcom sets no standard for the optional filter on non-verified accounts. So even if FV doesn't meet Ofcom's criteria for an OSA user verification duty scheme, users activating the filter could still be exposed to accounts verified this way. Confusing at best, dangerous at worst. 100
Clean Up The Internet @cleanuptheinternet.org.uk · 21/09/2026Despite these limitations, under Ofcom's draft guidance Facebook Verified would arguably pass. The platform sets the purpose; the principles are measured against it. The weaker the purpose a platform sets, the less there is for Ofcom to get its teeth into. That is a perverse incentive to aim low. 100
Clean Up The Internet @cleanuptheinternet.org.uk · 21/09/2026Then the check. Your video selfie is compared to photos you uploaded yourself. Nothing external. Meta says nothing about liveness, about how many accounts one face can verify, or about re-verification if you later change your photo. 100
Clean Up The Internet @cleanuptheinternet.org.uk · 21/09/2026So, e.g. Meta says nothing on how how Facebook Verified might help address risks relating to Fraud. Lloyds says around 7 in 10 of the fraud reports its customers make are scams that started on a Meta platform. The badge lands in Marketplace first... www.lloydsbankinggroup.com/media/press-...lloydsbankinggroup.comLloyds Banking Group - Error 110
Clean Up The Internet @cleanuptheinternet.org.uk · 21/09/2026Meta's stated purpose for the scheme is where it falls down first. Meta offers only vague phrasing about showing "there's a real person behind the profile" and "peace of mind". Nothing about safety. No harms are named. No specific risks on Facebook the scheme is meant to reduce. 100
Clean Up The Internet @cleanuptheinternet.org.uk · 21/09/2026The good: it is free, it is visible, and Meta says it will prompt users to take it up. These are all things which Ofcom is not currently proposing to require. Surely this makes it harder for other platforms to claim such requirements would be disproportionate. 100
Clean Up The Internet @cleanuptheinternet.org.uk · 21/09/2026Meta has announced "Facebook Verified", a free verification badge based on a video selfie. @ofcom.bsky.social is consulting on user identity verification under the Online Safety Act, so we've tested the badge against its draft guidance. www.cleanuptheinternet.org.uk/post/meta-s-...cleanuptheinternet.org.ukMeta’s new “Facebook Verified” badge - initial observations and questionsFacebook Verified shows platforms recognise user appetite for verification and can offer it free of charge, but that it falls short of what users should be offered - underlining the need for Ofcom to ... 100
Clean Up The Internet @cleanuptheinternet.org.uk · 28/08/2026And here's a related piece from the Citizens, who asked campaigners whether Ofcom can be fixed or replaced. Our line: if a regulator can change the rules in big tech's favour and then decline to say who it spoke to, accountability has broken down dispatch.the-citizens.com/far-too-slow...dispatch.the-citizens.com“Far too slow, far too timid”: Is Ofcom out of its depth?With trust in Ofcom eroding, we asked leading campaigners whether the watchdog can be saved or if it’s time to build something new 010
Clean Up The Internet @cleanuptheinternet.org.uk · 28/08/2026Great write up from Good Law Project of the case we've brought together over Ofcom's refusal to disclose its meetings with Big Tech platforms. The First Tier tribunal ruled against us in March. We now have permission to appeal to the Upper Tier tribunal. goodlawproject.org/social-media...goodlawproject.orgSocial media: Ofcom are cosying up to big tech | Good Law ProjectThe media regulator have watered down crucial provisions on illegal content and kept meetings with tech giants in the dark – we’re fighting back 132
Clean Up The Internet @cleanuptheinternet.org.uk · 20/07/2026Clean Up The Internet founder @stephenstroud.bsky.social sets out 4 suggestions: 1️⃣ Tell Ofcom to take a more muscular approach 2️⃣ Strengthen the Elections Bill against digital threats 3️⃣ Set a clear deadline for voluntary user verification 4️⃣ Legislate to strengthen the Online Safety Act 023
Clean Up The Internet @cleanuptheinternet.org.uk · 20/07/2026"Mr Burnham arrives in office promising to govern differently. Every incoming Prime Minister says something similar. Online safety is one of the clearest early tests of whether the difference is real" www.cleanuptheinternet.org.uk/post/four-wa...cleanuptheinternet.org.ukFour ways the new government could get online safety back on trackMr Burnham arrives in office promising to govern differently. Every incoming Prime Minister says something similar. Online safety is one of the clearest early tests of whether the difference is real, ... 111
Clean Up The Internet @cleanuptheinternet.org.uk · 04/06/2026Social Media Platforms love to claim user verification is too hard, too costly, or that most users don't want it. Yet LinkedIn has now passed 100m+ verified users. We examine their approach in detail - and suggest some lessons for regulators www.cleanuptheinternet.org.uk/post/online-...cleanuptheinternet.org.ukLinkedIn's user verification sets the bar. Now regulators must raise it.This note examines LinkedIn’s approach to identity verification. It considers its strengths and areas for improvement – and what lessons regulators could draw from this example when designing effectiv... 011
Clean Up The Internet @cleanuptheinternet.org.uk · 03/02/2026Later this month, Clean Up The Internet will be seeing Ofcom in court over its refusal to disclose basic information about its dealings with tech companies. Our founder @stephenstroud.bsky.social explains the background to the case and why it matters www.cleanuptheinternet.org.uk/post/ofcom-l...cleanuptheinternet.org.ukOfcom faces legal challengeOfcom's refusal to disclose dealings with Big Tech companies subject to legal action 032
Clean Up The Internet @cleanuptheinternet.org.uk · 18/12/2025Clean Up The Internet's founder @stephenstroud.bsky.social shares thoughts on recent developments in the EU, including a fine for X over its deceptive monetised blue ticks, and potential measures to tackle fake accounts in the Democracy Shield initiative www.cleanuptheinternet.org.uk/post/eu-comm... 024
Reposted by Clean Up The InternetOnline Safety Network @osnetwork.bsky.social · 15/12/2025New polling commissioned by @cleanuptheinternet.org.uk from @opiniumresearch.bsky.social ahead of today's debate on the #onlinesafetyact: ✅ 70% are supportive of the OSA ✅ 49% think its implementation is too slow ✅Support consistent across political parties www.onlinesafetyact.net/analysis/new...onlinesafetyact.netNew polling reveals strong public support for the Online Safety ActNew research commissioned by Clean Up The Internet and conducted by Opinium provides up to date insights into public attitudes towards the OSA. It suggests that calls to repeal the OSA are significant... 112
Clean Up The Internet @cleanuptheinternet.org.uk · 20/10/2025"If Ofcom doesn’t give platforms clear enough guidance, there’s every risk of UK users encountering social media verification systems which don’t accept common forms of ID (e.g the Britcard), or require them to hand over excessive data" www.cleanuptheinternet.org.uk/post/what-co...cleanuptheinternet.org.ukWhat could the UK government’s “BritCard” mean for identity verification on social media?Whilst Clean Up The Internet remains agnostic on the need for mandatory Government ID, there are clear potential synergies between the BritCard and social media identity verification. But for them to ... 012
Reposted by Clean Up The InternetClean Up The Internet @cleanuptheinternet.org.uk · 11/08/2025"Ofcom's Guidance on user identity verification should be seen as an acid-test of whether it's going to do its bit to deliver the government’s crime reduction ambitions" Clean Up The Internet's founder @stephenstroud.bsky.social www.cleanuptheinternet.org.uk/post/reducin...cleanuptheinternet.org.ukReducing crime when money is tight: is Ofcom doing its bit?Action on fake and anonymous accounts should be seen as an acid-test as to whether Ofcom is going to doing its bit to deliver the government’s crime reduction ambitions. 012
Reposted by Clean Up The InternetFarrukh @implausibleblog.bsky.social · 13/08/2025Former Met Police Superintendent, Dal Babu #C4News "We're missing the key issue: how do we regulate social media, who are responsible for spreading a lot of the hate crime, the misinformation, the far right accounts, that we saw in Southport" 924670
Clean Up The Internet @cleanuptheinternet.org.uk · 11/08/2025"Ofcom's Guidance on user identity verification should be seen as an acid-test of whether it's going to do its bit to deliver the government’s crime reduction ambitions" Clean Up The Internet's founder @stephenstroud.bsky.social www.cleanuptheinternet.org.uk/post/reducin...cleanuptheinternet.org.ukReducing crime when money is tight: is Ofcom doing its bit?Action on fake and anonymous accounts should be seen as an acid-test as to whether Ofcom is going to doing its bit to deliver the government’s crime reduction ambitions. 012
Clean Up The Internet @cleanuptheinternet.org.uk · 08/05/2025"It’s not pragmatic to see something as “a price worth paying” unless you’re clear what the price is. And watering down the UK’s recently enacted online safety laws has the potential to be very expensive indeed." @stephenstroud.bsky.social www.cleanuptheinternet.org.uk/post/us-uk-t...cleanuptheinternet.org.ukUS-UK Trade Deal - any negotiation around UK’s online safety laws must take into account the true costs of watering them downAny watering down the UK’s recently enacted online safety laws has the potential to be very expensive indeed. 011
Reposted by Clean Up The InternetStephen Kinsella @stephenstroud.bsky.social · 17/04/2025This is just too important to get wrong. 4155
Clean Up The Internet @cleanuptheinternet.org.uk · 17/04/2025“The government’s own figures show that the cost of unsafe social media is over £30bn per year. Watering down online safety bills would mean the UK continues to have to pay billions to clear up the mess caused by the US companies, and that’s not a good deal for us to strike.” 010
Clean Up The Internet @cleanuptheinternet.org.uk · 17/04/2025“But it also just doesn’t make any kind of economic sense. Right now we are all footing a huge bill for unsafe social media sites, for example in money lost to fraud, or in taxpayers’ money to deal with the fallout of the damage to mental health. 110
Clean Up The Internet @cleanuptheinternet.org.uk · 17/04/2025“Watering down online safety rules to get a trade deal with Trump would be a huge mistake. Rules to keep our children safe, and to protect our society from hate and extremism, simply shouldn’t be up for negotiation." - our founder, @stephenstroud.bsky.social www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/poli...independent.co.ukStarmer warned children will be at risk if he agrees US free speech demandsClaims that vice-president JD Vance is still pushing for online safety and hate speech laws to be repealed have alarmed campaigners 121
Clean Up The Internet @cleanuptheinternet.org.uk · 27/03/2025To put this in perspective, last year OnlyFans reported global revenue of $1.3billion and pre-tax profits of $658m. So this fine represents a 0.2% hit. www.ofcom.org.uk/online-safet...ofcom.org.ukOfcom fines provider of OnlyFans £1.05 millionOfcom has today fined the provider of OnlyFans, Fenix International Limited, £1.05 million for failing to accurately respond to formal requests for information about its age assurance measures on the ... 010
Reposted by Clean Up The InternetWarren Oates @warrenoates1.bsky.social · 10/03/2025LBC are having an online safety day. This is something that has been part of my professional life to various extents for over 17 years. They have touched on algorithms and showing in appropriate content to young people. For the platforms, that content IS a choice. 1/2 2195
Clean Up The Internet @cleanuptheinternet.org.uk · 26/02/2025As the UK Parliament's Science, Innovation and Technology Committee continues its Inquiry into Social media, misinformation and harmful algorithms, here's a link to the evidence we submitted, which has been published on the committee website: www.cleanuptheinternet.org.uk/post/our-sub...cleanuptheinternet.org.ukOur submission to the Science, Innovation and Technology Select Committee InquiryClean Up The Internet submitted evidence to the UK Parliament’s Science, Innovation and Technology Committee, which is conducting an inquiry into social media, misinformation, and harmful algorithms, ... 000
Reposted by Clean Up The InternetOnline Safety Network @osnetwork.bsky.social · 26/02/2025⏰ Starting at 930am. Watch it here: parliamentlive.tv/Event/Index/... #onlinesafetyactparliamentlive.tvParliamentlive.tvWestminster Hall 143
Reposted by Clean Up The InternetJames Southern @james.fieldleveltech.org · 15/02/2025I did know that this kind of thing was possible. But it’s pretty worrisome just how easy it is now. Jim is being responsible but others won’t be. I think @cleanuptheinternet.org.uk are right. We need “verified human” account labels 122
Reposted by Clean Up The InternetClean Up The Internet @cleanuptheinternet.org.uk · 07/02/2025Some good articles in this week's Economist on the scale, sophistication, and general awfulness of the online scamming industry - including useful detail on how fake social media accounts are one of their key tools.economist.comOnline scams may already be as big a scourge as illegal drugsAnd they are growing fast 101
Clean Up The Internet @cleanuptheinternet.org.uk · 07/02/2025The UK's Online Safety Act designates fraud as a priority offence. Yet in its wisdom, @ofcom.bsky.social has decided not to include any user verification measures in its Illegal Content Codes of Practice - a huge missed opportunity to protect UK users from scams (and many other crimes). 000
Clean Up The Internet @cleanuptheinternet.org.uk · 07/02/2025Offering users verification, and making it easier for them to identify and avoid non-verified accounts, would help disrupt scammers' industrial scale "pig-butchering" operations, as we set out here: www.cleanuptheinternet.org.uk/post/new-rep...cleanuptheinternet.org.ukNew report on fraud, fake accounts, and the User Verification DutyClean Up The Internet has today published a new report, “Making it by faking it: How fraudsters exploit fake social media accounts to scam UK users - and how strengthening the Online Safety Bill’s Use... 110
Clean Up The Internet @cleanuptheinternet.org.uk · 07/02/2025Some good articles in this week's Economist on the scale, sophistication, and general awfulness of the online scamming industry - including useful detail on how fake social media accounts are one of their key tools.economist.comOnline scams may already be as big a scourge as illegal drugsAnd they are growing fast 101
Reposted by Clean Up The InternetStephen Kinsella @stephenstroud.bsky.social · 03/02/2025Chris articulates the question that so many of us have been asking for some time now. @cleanuptheinternet.org.uk @andyburrows.bsky.social 1159
Clean Up The Internet @cleanuptheinternet.org.uk · 03/02/2025"Sorting out social media is one of the urgent challenges of our age, and plodding regulatory conservatism isn’t good enough." Spot on from @chrisblackhurst.bsky.social in the @the-independent.com www.independent.co.uk/news/busines...independent.co.ukIn the race to make social media safer, the UK is lagging dangerously behindIn an era of misinformation and damaging content, urgent action is needed to make the internet a safer place, writes Chris Blackhurst. So why is the regulator dragging its feet? 001
Reposted by Clean Up The InternetStephen Kinsella @stephenstroud.bsky.social · 30/01/2025We have a serious problem with the pace and vigour of enforcement of laws brought in supposedly to create "the safest online environment in the world". Our MPs must be astonished at how little fruit their legislative efforts are bearing. @cleanuptheinternet.org.uk @lukecharters.bsky.social 031
Reposted by Clean Up The InternetAndy Burrows @andyburrows.bsky.social · 30/01/2025This is a great upsum of why civil society is so concerned about Ofcom’s flawed application of the #OnlineSafetyAct 112
Clean Up The Internet @cleanuptheinternet.org.uk · 29/01/20252) What we are arguing here is that given Ofcom has identified fake and anonymous accounts as a "key" risk factor for multiple illegal harms, it should be recommending measures to mitigate the risks within the Illegal content codes, for platforms where it's a relevant risk (which would not be "all") 000
Clean Up The Internet @cleanuptheinternet.org.uk · 29/01/20251) Our proposal is that relevant user-to-user sites be required to offer all users *optional* verification, combined with transparency as to who is and isn't verified and options for users to filter contact non-verified accounts. I.e. platforms are required to give users choices, not to force them 100
Clean Up The Internet @cleanuptheinternet.org.uk · 29/01/2025No, that's not what we're suggesting! 100
Reposted by Clean Up The InternetClean Up The Internet @cleanuptheinternet.org.uk · 28/01/2025Clean Up The Internet's founder, @stephenstroud.bsky.social , sets out why Ofcom's Illegal Content Codes are extremely disappointing - and why it makes no sense to delay user verification measures to tackle risks from fake and anonymous accounts www.cleanuptheinternet.org.uk/post/ofcom-p...cleanuptheinternet.org.ukOfcom publishes weakened Illegal Content Codes, and confirms delays to implementing user verification measuresOfcom’s Illegal Content Codes are disappointing. A failure to include a measure on user identity verification is just one example of a flawed, overly timid approach. 023
Reposted by Clean Up The InternetStephen Kinsella @stephenstroud.bsky.social · 28/01/2025This needed to be said. 054
Clean Up The Internet @cleanuptheinternet.org.uk · 28/01/2025Clean Up The Internet's founder, @stephenstroud.bsky.social , sets out why Ofcom's Illegal Content Codes are extremely disappointing - and why it makes no sense to delay user verification measures to tackle risks from fake and anonymous accounts www.cleanuptheinternet.org.uk/post/ofcom-p...cleanuptheinternet.org.ukOfcom publishes weakened Illegal Content Codes, and confirms delays to implementing user verification measuresOfcom’s Illegal Content Codes are disappointing. A failure to include a measure on user identity verification is just one example of a flawed, overly timid approach. 023
Clean Up The Internet @cleanuptheinternet.org.uk · 27/01/2025Huge congratulations to Clean Up The Internet's founder, @stephenstroud.bsky.social, on being named one of the Big Issue's "Changemakers of 2025" - richly deserved, for his work on Clean Up The Internet as well as the amazingly impactful @lawforchange.uk project! www.bigissue.com/news/activis...bigissue.comBig Issue's Changemakers of 2025: Politics and activismThe Changemakers driving change in 2025 - whether by taking big business and institutions to task or giving young people a say in politics. 002
Reposted by Clean Up The InternetOnline Safety Network @osnetwork.bsky.social · 15/01/2025We've published our response - co-signed by 23 organisations & experts from our network - on the @ofcom.bsky.social #onlinesafetyact #illegalharms codes. Do read it to understand the depth of feeling across civil society about the regulator's approach. ⬇️ www.onlinesafetyact.net/analysis/sta...onlinesafetyact.netStatement on Ofcom's Illegal Harms Code of PracticeStatement from the Online Safety Act Network in response to Ofcom's final Illegal Harms Codes of Practice 016
Clean Up The Internet @cleanuptheinternet.org.uk · 20/01/2025Agreed. We're calling on all social media sites to offer all their users verification options, and to make it easy to spot and avoid non-verified accounts. Ultimately, governments/regulators should require this - but nothing to stop BlueSky getting ahead of the curve. www.cleanuptheinternet.org.ukcleanuptheinternet.org.ukCampaign to Clean up the InternetClean up the Internet works to tackle online harms. We want stop the harm to democracy caused by abuse, trolling and disinformation. We campaign to stop online anonymity being abused. We want to stre... 000
Clean Up The Internet @cleanuptheinternet.org.uk · 13/01/2025Using domains is clever and a good start - but it's never going to work for all users. We recommend @bsky.app develops more accessible verification options, alongside labelling and filtering options so that all users can easily identify, and choose to avoid, non-verified accounts. 100
Clean Up The Internet @cleanuptheinternet.org.uk · 13/01/2025As bluesky gains more legit users, it risks also gaining more bad actors using fake accounts to spread scams, disinformation, and hate. To avoid this, @safety.bsky.app needs to improve its approach to user verification. 241
Clean Up The Internet @cleanuptheinternet.org.uk · 13/01/2025We've been campaigning for platforms to offer all their users an option to verify, alongside options to filter/block interaction from non-verified accounts. The UK now has a "user verification duty" for platforms as part of the Online Safety Act - but the regulator is being v slow to enforce it... 020