Online Safety Bill: New measures welcome but children still lack protection

CARE has welcomed changes to the Online Safety Bill but stressed that more changes are needed to ensure children are protected from porn.

Today, ministers confirmed they will introduce measures to criminalise social media bosses who flout rules aimed at protecting kids online.

The news followed a significant rebellion by Tory backbenchers, including senior figures Iain Duncan Smith and Priti Patel.

A CARE spokesman said that whilst it welcomed the move, ministers need to consider further, specific measures on pornography.

Tim Cairns, CARE’s policy lead on online safety, commented:

“The latest amendments to the Online Safety Bill are welcome. Holding executives of online content providers personally liable for what is published on their platforms will make it more likely that obligations placed on companies will be taken seriously. We would, however, like to see the government go further to protect children from the specific harms caused by pornography.

“In terms of pornographic content, we believe children should be afforded the same protections in the online world as they are offline. At present, the bill does not bring this parity. It does not recognise the acute harms children caused by unfettered access to sexual content – content that is illegal for them to access in shops or cinemas – and act to curb such access.

“Research by the British Board of Film Classification found that children are coming across pornography online from as young as seven, with 51 per cent of 11-to-13-year-olds having seen pornography at some point. For many children this is accidental, they have been searching something else and stumbled across it. We must take steps to prevent this.

“Age verification measures to be included in the bill must be fit for purpose. And other changes are required to ensure appropriate safeguarding. We call on UK Ministers to engage with CARE and other child safety activists who wish to see specific additions to the Online Safety Bill. Let’s make this legislation a truly worthy response to the vulnerable in society.”

ENDS

CARE provides analysis of social policy from a Christian perspective. For more information or to request an interview, contact Jamie Gillies | jamie.gillies@care.org.uk