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To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what steps he is taking to ensure effective coordination between Government departments to tackle (a) the spread of child sexual abuse (i) material and (ii) harmful algorithms and (b) other online harms to children.
To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what steps he is taking to ensure effective coordination between Government departments to tackle (a) the spread of child sexual abuse (i) material and (ii) harmful algorithms and (b) other online harms to children.
Government departments work together on a range of online safety matters, with child online safety and wellbeing being a particular priority.
The Online Safety Act gives user-to-user and search services new duties to safeguard children from illegal content and activity, including child sexual abuse material and harmful content. Platforms’ duties to tackle illegal content began in March.
The child safety duties will be fully in force from 25 July and require providers to establish significant protections for children, including requiring services to consider how algorithms and recommender systems impact children’s exposure to both illegal and harmful content.
To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what discussions he has had with Cabinet colleagues on protecting children from the potential impacts of excessive use of smartphones.
To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what discussions he has had with Cabinet colleagues on protecting children from the potential impacts of excessive use of smartphones.
Creating a safer online world is a priority for the government and we are focused on implementing the Online Safety Act so that children can benefit from its wide-reaching protections.
The Government is reviewing the evidence base on children’s smartphone use, social media and their wellbeing.
DSIT works closely with other government departments on a range of online safety matters with work on child online safety being a particular priority across government.
To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what steps he is taking to ensure that social media platforms enforce their own (a) hate speech and (b) child protection policies.
To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what steps he is taking to ensure that social media platforms enforce their own (a) hate speech and (b) child protection policies.
Under the Online Safety Act, the largest services will need to put in place processes to enforce any Terms of Service they set for legal content for adults, including legal hate speech. Platforms likely to be accessed by children must also protect children from content that is harmful to them, including hateful content.
Services must have clear and accessible Terms of Service about how they fulfil their illegal content and child safety duties and apply them consistently.
Ofcom has robust enforcement powers to use against services that fail to fulfil duties. This includes fines of up to 10% of qualifying worldwide revenue.
What steps his Department is taking to keep children safe online.
What steps his Department is taking to keep children safe online.
As the chair of the all-party parliamentary group on children’s online safety, my hon. Friend will know that keeping children safe online is a priority for this Government. We are focused on implementing the Online Safety Act 2023 so that children can benefit from its wide reach and protection. The children’s code that is coming in next month will see a step change in the experience of children online in the UK. While we do not pretend that that is job done, and we are working at pace to develop a further online safety package, children will no longer be able to access pornography or other unsuitable content, including content that encourages or promotes self-harm, eating disorders or suicide.
As the chair of the all-party parliamentary group on children’s online safety, my hon. Friend will know that keeping children safe online is a priority for this Government. We are focused on implementing the Online Safety Act 2023 so that children can benefit from its wide reach and protection. The children’s code that is coming in next month will see a step change in the experience of children online in the UK. While we do not pretend that that is job done, and we are working at pace to develop a further online safety package, children will no longer be able to access pornography or other unsuitable content, including content that encourages or promotes self-harm, eating disorders or suicide.
As the chair of the all-party parliamentary group on children’s online safety, my hon. Friend will know that keeping children safe online is a priority for this Government. We are focused on implementing the Online Safety Act 2023 so that children can benefit from its wide reach and protection. The children’s code that is coming in next month will see a step change in the experience of children online in the UK. While we do not pretend that that is job done, and we are working at pace to develop a further online safety package, children will no longer be able to access pornography or other unsuitable content, including content that encourages or promotes self-harm, eating disorders or suicide.
What steps his Department is taking to keep children safe online.
I do indeed agree with my hon. Friend on that. Child sexual exploitation and abuse is one of the most horrendous harms, and the Government are committed to ensuring that UK law keeps pace with criminal use of technologies including AI. As he says, we have introduced a world-leading offence in the Crime and Policing Bill to criminalise AI models that have been optimised to create child sexual abuse material. This new offence builds on the protections in the Online Safety Act, and I am very clear that nothing is off the table when it comes to keeping our children safe.
I do indeed agree with my hon. Friend on that. Child sexual exploitation and abuse is one of the most horrendous harms, and the Government are committed to ensuring that UK law keeps pace with criminal use of technologies including AI. As he says, we have introduced a world-leading offence in the Crime and Policing Bill to criminalise AI models that have been optimised to create child sexual abuse material. This new offence builds on the protections in the Online Safety Act, and I am very clear that nothing is off the table when it comes to keeping our children safe.
The National Crime Agency and other law enforcement agencies have highlighted the growing prevalence of AI-generated child sexual abuse material as one of the biggest threats to public safety. It is a growing threat to us online. That is why I was astonished last week to see the Tories and Reform vote against the Crime and Policing Bill, which contains world-leading measures to tackle this horrific crime. Does the Minister agree that it is frankly disgusting to see the Tories and Reform using this issue for party politics?
I absolutely agree that some children are still stumbling upon material and content that they should not be. When the Online Safety Act is fully enacted in July, we will see a step change in what children can see online. Ofcom will monitor this and ensure that where such material is continuing, we take action.
I absolutely agree that some children are still stumbling upon material and content that they should not be. When the Online Safety Act is fully enacted in July, we will see a step change in what children can see online. Ofcom will monitor this and ensure that where such material is continuing, we take action.
As the Minister says, the Online Safety Act has passed into law and is being implemented, but parents in my Gosport constituency are still desperately worried about the scale of the inappropriate content that very young children can stumble across in the online world. Can she reassure us? When will they begin to practically see the changes that the Online Safety Act promised, and when will the big online providers really start having to do what they say they are doing to keep our children safe online?
It was the hon. Gentleman’s party that dragged its feet in bringing forward the legislation and that watered it down. We are busy trying to implement the Act as it was set out in the guidance. While the Act is not perfect, we will see a huge step change. Where there are issues and gaps, we are not afraid to act.
It was the hon. Gentleman’s party that dragged its feet in bringing forward the legislation and that watered it down. We are busy trying to implement the Act as it was set out in the guidance. While the Act is not perfect, we will see a huge step change. Where there are issues and gaps, we are not afraid to act.
May I begin by congratulating the hon. Member for Newcastle upon Tyne Central and West (Dame Chi Onwurah) on her well- deserved honour in the King’s birthday honours? I hope the whole House will agree that it is a fitting and well-deserved honour for her expertise and service to the House.
Protecting children online should be a top priority for every Government, and that is why the Conservatives passed the Online Safety Act to give this Government all the sweeping powers they need to act, but when the Minister was asked in Parliament why implementation under Labour was so slow, she said that implementation must be
“as proofed against judicial review as possible.”
—[Official Report, 26 February 2025; Vol. 762, c. 405WH.]
Why is she more concerned about protecting herself and the Government than about protecting children?
I thank the shadow Secretary of State for his question. The implementation is happening as set out and against the timeframe that was set out. As I said, we are not only busy implementing the Act, but looking at all the gaps that exist in it because Ministers in his Government watered down the Bill as it went through the House. We will review those gaps in the legislation and come forward with extra measures where they are needed.
I thank the shadow Secretary of State for his question. The implementation is happening as set out and against the timeframe that was set out. As I said, we are not only busy implementing the Act, but looking at all the gaps that exist in it because Ministers in his Government watered down the Bill as it went through the House. We will review those gaps in the legislation and come forward with extra measures where they are needed.
It was my party that passed the Online Safety Act; it is the Minister’s party that is failing our children. Ian Russell, who set up the Molly Rose Foundation following the tragic death of his daughter, says that Britain is now “going backwards” when it comes to protecting our children online. The Government are being timid when they should be bold. Their priorities are wrong, and legal caution is trumping children’s safety. Why is the Minister still defending this Government’s track record of total failure?
To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what steps his Department is taking to protect girls and young women from the impact of sexualised AI deepfakes.
To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what steps his Department is taking to protect girls and young women from the impact of sexualised AI deepfakes.
Sharing or threatening to share a deepfake intimate image without consent is illegal. Synthetically created content is regulated by the Online Safety Act where it is shared on an in-scope service and is illegal content or content harmful to children. Government is also legislating to ban the non-consensual creation of sexualised deepfakes in the Data (Use and Access) Bill.
Where a sexualised deepfake is of a child this is child sexual abuse material and is illegal, and Government has introduced an offence in the Crime and Policing Bill to criminalise AI models optimised to create this content.
To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, how the Government will fine firms that fail to inform Ofcom of age assurance processes that prevent children’s access to online content.
To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, how the Government will fine firms that fail to inform Ofcom of age assurance processes that prevent children’s access to online content.
The Online Safety Act 2023 establishes Ofcom as independent regulator for online safety in the UK. Ofcom has powers to sanction services in-scope of the Act who do not comply with their duties under the Act, including the child safety duties and age assurance provisions.
Ofcom’s enforcement powers will include directing services to take measures to comply with their duties, fining companies up to £18 million, or 10% of qualifying worldwide revenue (whichever is the greater), and initiating business disruption measures.
Ofcom has published enforcement guidance illustrating how it will calculate penalties in a proportionate, case-by-case way.
To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, if his Department will take steps to strengthen consumers' online privacy protections.
To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, if his Department will take steps to strengthen consumers' online privacy protections.
The UK General Data Protection Regulation (UK GDPR) and the Data Protection Act 2018 (DPA) apply to all online services that use personal data and require organisations to process personal data lawfully, fairly, transparently and securely, unless certain limited exemptions apply. The legislation already gives consumers important rights in relation to their personal data, such as the right to seek access to it, object to its processing or seek its erasure. Consumers can also bring complaints about the handling of their personal data to the independent regulator for data protection, the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO).
Measures in the Data (Use and Access) Bill include revamping the ICO with a new governance structure and powers of enforcement – ensuring people’s personal data will continue to be protected to high standards. Under the new digital markets regime, the Competition and Markets Authority could also introduce targeted remedies that strengthen consumer choice and control.
To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, whether his Department plans to introduce measures to protect men and boys online.
To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, whether his Department plans to introduce measures to protect men and boys online.
The Online Safety Act requires all platforms to proactively tackle the most harmful illegal content, including illegal incitement to violence and sexual offences, including where these are targeted at men and boys.
Services must employ age-appropriate measures to protect all children from legal abusive and hateful content, including misandry.
Category 1 services will have extra duties where abuse is not illegal, requiring them to offer user empowerment tools, enabling all adult users greater control over their online experience. Category 1 services will also need to remove legal misandry content, when prohibited in their terms of service.
Motion that this House has considered the impact of digital platforms on UK democracy. Agreed to on question.
Motion that this House has considered the impact of digital platforms on UK democracy. Agreed to on question.
To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what steps his Department is taking to prevent children from receiving (a) harmful content and (b) misinformation from chatbots.
To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what steps his Department is taking to prevent children from receiving (a) harmful content and (b) misinformation from chatbots.
AI generated content is regulated by the Online Safety Act where it is shared on an in-scope user-to-user or search service and constitutes illegal content or content which is harmful to children. This includes mis- and dis- information where it is assessed to present material harm to a significant number of children. Providers of pornographic content must also prevent children from accessing that content.
Chatbots with functionalities that bring them into scope of the Online Safety Act will be required to comply with the relevant duties including preventing children from encountering harmful content – whether that is real or synthetic.
To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what steps he is taking to help protect children from (a) deception, (b) bullying, (c) abuse and (d) harmful content online.
To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what steps he is taking to help protect children from (a) deception, (b) bullying, (c) abuse and (d) harmful content online.
Our priority is the implementation of the Online Safety Act so children benefit from its protections.
The Act requires services to protect users from illegal content. Companies will also need to assess whether their service is likely to be accessed by children and provide safety measures to protect them from harmful and age-inappropriate content and activity, such as abuse, bullying, and content that promotes eating disorders or self-harm. Measures include using age assurance and changing their algorithms to filter out harmful content.
The illegal content duties are now in effect and the child safety duties will be enforceable by this summer.
To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what steps his Department is taking to protect children against the risks of generative-AI content on small websites.
To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what steps his Department is taking to protect children against the risks of generative-AI content on small websites.
AI generated content is regulated by the Online Safety Act where it is shared on an in-scope service and constitutes illegal content or content which is harmful to children. Providers who publish pornographic content must protect children from that content, including where it is AI generated.
In recognition of the unique risks that small but high-risk platforms pose to users, Ofcom, the online safety regulator, has established a taskforce to tackle these services. The taskforce’s aim is to proactively identify services, focusing on those posing the most severe risks of harm, and ensure compliance with the Act.
To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what steps his Department is taking to help protect (a) women and (b) girls from deepfake pornography.
To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what steps his Department is taking to help protect (a) women and (b) girls from deepfake pornography.
Online safety is a priority for government. Services in scope of the Online Safety Act must remove illegal content and protect children from harmful content - including when this content is AI-generated. Services providing pornographic content must use highly effective age assurance to ensure that children cannot access it.
We are committed to tackling the atrocious harm posed by the creation of non-consensual intimate images and are bringing in legislation to criminalise this behaviour in the Data (Use and Access) Bill.
Motion that this House has considered the implementation of the Online Safety Act 2023. Agreed to on question.
Motion that this House has considered the implementation of the Online Safety Act 2023. Agreed to on question.
To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what steps his Department is taking to help protect young people from the potential dangers of social media.
To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what steps his Department is taking to help protect young people from the potential dangers of social media.
Our priority is the effective implementation of the Online Safety Act so that children benefit from its wide-reaching protections.
The Act requires all services in scope to take steps to protect users, including children, from illegal content and criminal behaviour. In addition, services likely to be accessed by children are required to risk assess their service and provide safety measures, including the use of highly effective age assurance, to protect children from harmful content.
Ofcom has duty to promote media literacy to help the public understand the nature and impact of where harmful content and online behaviour affects certain groups.