- Last chance to respond to children's online safety
consultation closing on 26 May, with more than
70,000 responses to date
- UK Minister prepares for online safety visit to Australia to
hear how their world-first children's social media age
restrictions have been going
- Visit comes as Government appoints academic panel to advise
Government on crucial next steps
With only 2 days to go until the landmark children's online safety
consultation closes, ministers are urging parents and
kids to have their say and help inform the next steps the UK will
take on protecting children online.
This comes as the Minister for Online Safety, , prepares to travel to
Australia this week. The Minister's visit to Australia marks
the next stage of government's listening exercise through the
national conversation, taking the discussion and fact finding
mission international as government looks at how other countries
are responding to the same challenges.
While in Australia the Minister will hold talks with counterparts
including Australia's E-Safety Commissioner, to hear how their
world-first social media age restrictions have been working in
practice, what it's looked like in implementation and regulation,
and what lessons they've learned since bringing the age
restrictions into force.
He will also meet directly with young Australians to understand
what the changes have meant for them, and how it's impacted their
lives.
The visit follows on from a week where the Minister travelled
across the UK, hearing directly from families, teachers and young
people in all corners, hearing their views on social media and
other online safety measures being explored. It's also
taking place in the same week Tech Secretary, travels to Paris for the G7, where she will meet with
Ministerial counterparts to discuss technology matters across
partner countries, including creating a safer online world for
young people.
Online Safety Minister said
As we get ready to set out our next steps for creating a safer
world online for children, it is crucial that we learn from the
best evidence available.
We want to make sure whatever we do, we do it right. That is
why I am travelling to Australia to see how their world-first
approach to social media age restrictions has been working.
I will bring the lessons Australia has learned back with me to
inform our next steps, and ensure we can create safer, more
enriching and healthy childhoods for young people across our
country.
The visit ‘down under' comes as government announces the
membership of the academic panel responsible
for providing government with an assessment of
evidence alongside the consultation responses.
The panel, made up of internationally recognised experts on
child safety online, will support government to understand
the positive and the negative effects of social media on young
people and the potential interventions that can help them lead
happier, healthier online lives. Providing crucial evidence to
inform government's next steps in this space.
Chaired by Professor Russell Viner, the panel brings together
leading experts in child development, technology and online
safety. This includes Professor Amy Orben, who has
been leading a major scientific trial with thousands of
young people in Bradford, looking at the effects of reducing
social media use among adolescents.
The landmark consultation has already reached more than 70,000
responses, one of the biggest consultation responses under this
government. Earlier this week the Prime Minister and Technology
Secretary hosted a forum for parents, young people and civil
society groups in Downing Street to hear their views directly
on the changes needed to keep children safe online. The
consultation now enters its final 2 days for input, and
government will then respond formally during the summer setting
out next steps.
Notes to editors:
The full membership of the academic panel is:
- Professor Russell Viner (Chair)
- Professor Amy Orben
- Professor Sonia Livingstone OBE FBA
- Professor Bernadka Dubicka
- Professor Netta Weinstein
- Professor Rosie Flewitt
- Professor Peter Etchells
- Professor Deborah Fry
- Dr Akshi Kumar
