UK Government Pressed on Safeguarding Children From Online Harms

_{Universities are researching ways of helping children stay safe online. (Image: Bournemouth University)}

In a debate at the House of Commons, Watford MP Matthew Turmaine pressed the secretary of state on the government’s plans to protect children and vulnerable people from online harms.

Turmaine argued that the same restrictions applied to alcohol, tobacco, and adult venues in the physical world should extend into the digital one.

“We would not allow a child to get into a car and drive down the road. We wouldn’t allow a child to go into an off-licence and buy tobacco or alcohol products, and we wouldn’t allow a child to go into an adult entertainment establishment,” he said. “Does she agree with me that children and vulnerable people need protection in the virtual world just as they do in the physical one?”

Secretary of State Responds

The secretary of state agreed, highlighting the government’s determination to remove harmful content and enforce the recently enacted Online Safety Act.

“I absolutely do, which is why I am determined to do everything necessary both to remove illegal content and to protect children from online harms,” she said.

She added that the issue has been a long-standing concern, recalling her earlier work on the Science and Technology Select Committee, where she engaged with schoolchildren about the benefits and risks of being online.

“It’s an issue I’ve been concerned about for many years. I’m determined to take action, not just for the fabulous people of Watford, but for children and young people right across the country,” she said.

Evidence of Online Harms

Academic research supports the concerns raised in Parliament. Studies have shown that children face multiple risks online, including exposure to pornography and violent content, cyberbullying, sexual exploitation, and grooming. Mental health impacts are also significant, with evidence linking heavy social media use to anxiety, depression, and eating disorders among adolescents.

Stephen Kavanagh Executive Director of Interpol said: 

"Online exploitation and abuse is a clear and present danger to the world’s children, and traditional law enforcement approaches are struggling to keep up."

We must do much more together at a global level, including specialist investigator training, better data sharing and equipment, to effectively fight this pandemic and the harm it inflicts on millions of young lives around the world.

Professor Debi Fry, Professor of International Child Protection Research, University of Edinburgh does not spare the punches saying: 

The world needs to know these atrocities are affecting children in every classroom, in every school, in every country.

While digital technology can provide learning and social benefits, especially for older children, risks increase with early exposure, inadequate online safety measures, and the growth of emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence and the metaverse.

Experts have called for stronger regulation, robust online safety education, and improved protections for children in digital spaces to address these risks.

Dr Sarah Hodge, a Senior Lecturer in Psychology, worked with charities the Young Gamers and Gamblers Education Trust (YGAM) and Betknowmore UK to develop the ‘Mindful Resilience’ training programme.

Digital Gambling

The programme has been launched in London to address a lack of knowledge and confidence amongst health professionals in diagnosing children and young people with gaming and gambling addictions. The gambling industry remains one of the most heavily regulated industries with online casinos, bingo halls and adult gaming centres adhering to stringent regulations set out by the Gambling Commission. 

This comes after a 2019 report into gambling-related suicide published by the Gambling Commission highlighted the need for greater awareness among GPs and other primary care and frontline service providers.

Dr Hodge said: “Awareness is needed around gaming and gambling in children and young people, as it is an activity that they engage with which has the potential for challenges and harms."

Protection of Children Increased in 2023

The Online Safety Act 2023, which received royal assent in October 2023, places new duties on technology companies to monitor harmful content and take stronger action against illegal material, particularly content affecting children. Supporters argue it closes a long-standing regulatory gap, ensuring children receive the same protections online that exist offline.

The law requires platforms such as social media sites and search engines to implement age-checking measures, report harmful content more effectively, and enforce stricter rules on illegal activities such as child sexual abuse material. Critics, however, warn of potential risks to privacy and free speech.

Online Harms Highlighted by Emmy Award Winner

A Netflix series called 'Adolescence' focuses on the impact of online harms on children. In an extreme example, the programme documents a family struggling to come to terms with their son's involvement in crime having been bullied online. The series won Stephen Graham an Emmy award.