How responsible are brands for online safety on social platforms?

The Campaign Podcast features a discussion on harmful social media content and urges brands to demand transparency.

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In March, Meta and Google were found liable for designing addictive platforms that harmed a young user's mental health, a verdict with which both platforms disagree and plan to appeal against. Channel 4 also released its documentary called Molly vs The Machines about a 14-year-old girl who took her own life after seeing harmful content online. Plus, the UK government began a consultation for a potential ban for under-16s to improve digital safety, following Australia's ban last December, with the UK Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer saying we “have to act”.

Instagram, Facebook, YouTube and other platforms rely on advertising to make money. So whether a government ban or strict regulation of the platforms is the solution, this episode questions how much responsibility should the brands funding these platforms have.

Jake Dubbins, managing director of Media Bounty and co-chair of Conscious Advertising Network, joins the episode alongside Campaign's UK editor Maisie McCabe and editor-in-chief Gideon Spanier. This episode is hosted by tech and multimedia editor Lucy Shelley.

Ian Russell challenges Instagram boss to “chat” at Cannes Lions

Molly vs the Machines showed us that advertising choices aren't neutral

Can we talk about whether fraudulent ads are the tech platforms' biggest problem?

Ofcom research finds rise in concern over online risks versus benefits

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