How do we protect children online? - Ian Murray
That’s the central question asked by the Labour government’s consultation and national conversation on growing up in the digital world, which is now open for submissions.
The consultation is looking at a range of measures to protect children’s wellbeing online, including a minimum age for social media, better tools for parents, and potential restrictions on addictive features such as autoplay.
It’s a national conversation open to all, and everyone, especially children and young people and their parents and carers, can and should take part.
These conversations are already happening in schools and homes up and down the country. Last week, I was at Liberton High School presenting a Community Hero Award to Christine Babbs, the school’s librarian, for her superb work supporting pupils in over 40 years of working at the school.
Afterwards I spoke with a group of S6 pupils about their experiences online. Their insights were thoughtful, considered and constructive.
It's just one discussion I’ve had over recent months while visiting local schools across the south of Edinburgh, speaking to pupils of all ages about online safety. I’m continually struck by how switched on they are, often more than the adults in the room, about the risks of being online and how to keep themselves safe.
I want young people and school staff across Edinburgh South to be part of this conversation. To that end, I am writing to every school in the area to encourage them to participate in the consultation.
Schools are often the best places to help young people engage with issues like this, whether through classroom discussions, group responses or encouraging individual submissions.
On the broader issue, I’m genuinely open minded. I have two young daughters, and like any parent, keeping them safe comes before everything else.
Nevertheless, I want them to be able to live their lives fully and today part of that means exploiting, experiencing and enjoying everything the digital world has to offer.
As 99 per cent of 12- to 17-year-olds report benefits from being online, do we really want to deny them these benefits or deal with the problem at source?
At the same time, we must protect children from harm. In my work on this issue, I have encountered some truly appalling stories about online grooming, mainly of young girls, that would chill the blood of any parent.
It’s clear that more must be done to protect children’s wellbeing online. That’s why the Labour government is continuing to refine and improve the Online Safety Act. It’s the most robust online safety framework in the world. Reform have pledged to scrap it.
The consultation is open now and will run until the end of May. The Prime Minister has pledged to respond swiftly to its findings, with new powers announced last month allowing the government to act quickly without the need for new primary legislation.
If you haven’t done so already, please do consider getting involved and being part of the conversation about how we can make the UK the safest place for children to be online.