Rebel Internet, a London-based internet service provider, has warned that current approaches to online regulation are failing to deliver meaningful online safety for children, following fresh concerns about artificial intelligence tools being misused to generate sexualised images of minors.
The comments come after reports that Grok AI can be exploited to create such material, prompting Ofcom to make what it described as urgent contact with Elon Musk’s company xAI over lapses in safeguards. Six months after the Online Safety Act came into force, Rebel Internet argues that online safety for children remains fragile and increasingly dependent on where responsibility is placed.
While regulatory attention has focused on platforms and content creators, the company says the broader infrastructure of internet access has been overlooked. Rebel Internet believes that online safety for children cannot be addressed effectively if Internet Service Providers are excluded from the solution, particularly as risks continue to evolve faster than enforcement.
Recent research highlights the scale of the challenge. The Children’s Commissioner has found that children are encountering pornography accidentally at younger ages, in some cases as young as six. A study by the University of Cambridge identified a direct link between adolescent mental health diagnoses and social media use. Separate reporting has shown that increased screen time among under fives is contributing to declining speech and language development. Against this backdrop, Ipsos research indicates that three quarters of parents are concerned about their children’s online experiences, reinforcing calls for stronger online safety for children.
Rebel Internet contends that relying on Ofcom’s Protection of Children Codes alone is insufficient. These codes place obligations on websites, apps and search engines, but do not require ISPs to take action. The company describes this as a structural weakness, arguing that enforcement becomes a reactive exercise while access to harmful material remains largely unrestricted at the network level.
Tucker George, CEO and co-founder of Rebel Internet, said: “Broadband providers have a unique ability to allow customers to take control of their internet access at a network level, but none of the legacy providers bother. Ofcom ought to step in and force them to shoulder some responsibility, just as they had to step in and force providers to be more transparent about their misleading annual price rises.”
According to George, Rebel Internet was established to offer an alternative to established providers by prioritising practical tools that support online safety for children and families. All customers receive access to a Home Wi-Fi app that includes parental controls such as adjustable content filtering and adblocking for individual users. Additional features include Focus, which limits access to specific apps or devices during designated periods, and Timeout, which blocks internet access entirely to help manage screen time.
The company says these measures are intended to support, rather than replace, parental involvement. Research from the Children’s Commissioner suggests that many children want clearer boundaries around online access, a finding Rebel Internet cites in support of its approach to online safety for children.
As both a parent and a broadband executive, George said responsibility should be shared more evenly across the sector. “Safety online is too important to ignore, and it’s time for providers to face up to their responsibilities. We can’t rid the internet of its evils, but we can help you control it. While Big Broadband companies think only about extracting profit from their loyal customers, Rebel thinks about the role we play in society and how we can better help the people we serve. It really is time for a rebellion.”
