Government’s choice for Ofcom chair says he does not use social media

Lord Grade said he knew how social media worked thanks to his ‘student son who is never off his screen’. Photograph: House of Commons/PA

The Conservative peer chosen to oversee regulation of the internet has said he does not use social media but is aware of how it works thanks to his children.

Michael Grade confirmed to MPs that he was not on Twitter, Instagram, or Facebook and had never been tempted by a “dance video” on TikTok. Despite this he said he had enough understanding of the key issues to be chair of the media regulator, Ofcom, which has been tasked with implementing the forthcoming online safety bill that will impose new standards on tech companies.