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Internet: Children

Asked by Charlotte CaneLiberal DemocratDepartment for Science, Innovation and TechnologyTabled Answered 14 February 2025UIN 29712

The question

To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what steps his Department is taking to ensure that smaller platforms are adequately regulated to protect children from online harms.

Answered by Feryal Clark

Government’s priority is the effective implementation of the Online Safety Act 2023 so that children can benefit from its wide-reaching protections. The Act’s illegal content duties and, where relevant, child safety duties, will apply to services of all sizes.

All companies in scope of the Act, regardless of their size, will have duties to prevent users from encountering illegal content and activity. Additionally, all services which are likely to be accessed by children are required to protect children from harmful content. This includes content such as pornography, or content that promote, encourages or provides instructions for self-harm, eating disorders or suicide.

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