Concerns over online safety bill delay
Fiona Simpson
Thursday, July 14, 2022
Critics have described government plans to delay the online safety bill until the autumn as a “devastating blow” for child protection.
The bill, which includes measures to safeguard children from online harms, is in its final stages and was due to be discussed in parliament next week.
However, following the resignation of Prime Minister Boris Johnson, it has been delayed until the end of the ongoing Conservative leadership contest in September.
A spokesman for the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) told CYP Now that the bill “will continue its journey through the House of Commons in the autumn as a result of the parliamentary timetable”.
The bill includes clauses designed to further protect children from risks such as child sexual and criminal exploitation online.
If passed, the bill will see new rules introduced for social media firms to remove illegal content including child exploitation and material relating to terrorism as well as stricter age verification on sites hosting pornographic content.
Online Safety Bill: We have seen a proliferation of websites with illegal & harmful pornographic content
— Barbara Keeley 💙 😷🇺🇦 (@KeeleyMP) July 13, 2022
The Govt has made some welcome changes to the Bill but it is important that the Bill comes into force ASAP
Children cannot wait another 3 years for protections from harm pic.twitter.com/4MmokejTHH
Labour MPs and professionals working with vulnerable children have criticised the government’s decision to put the bill on hold.
Former children’s commissioner for England Anne Longfield said on Twitter: “Every day this bill is delayed leaves kids to spend hours a day in a digital world without the protection against harm we know is necessary and expected in the rest of their lives. Even the tech companies know self-regulation hasn't worked.”
The digital world is very firmly part of the fabric of our lives, and in so many ways is a positive thing. But it has corners and recesses that are simply not safe for children. The Online Safety Bill is trying to protect them, here’s why it’s important https://t.co/xy0RFwObSI
— Children's Commissioner for England (@ChildrensComm) July 14, 2022
A tweet from Barnardo’s added: “Every day we don’t make the internet safer for children is another day they are at risk of abuse and exposure to harmful material.
“Protecting children from online harms is an urgent issue that shouldn’t be delayed.”
Andy Burrows, the head of child safety online policy at the NSPCC, said that the delay meant families would “continue to pay the price for the failure and inaction of tech firms who have allowed harm to fester rather than get their house in order”.
Meanwhile, shadow culture minister Alex Davies-Jones, said: “This is an absolutely devastating blow and another example of the Tories prioritising their own ideals over people’s safety online.”
