Internet: Children
The question
To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, if he will hold discussions with online service platforms on the potential merits of taking steps to ensure that children between 13 and 15 years of age cannot (a) change family safety settings for online devices and (b) turn off their parents' ability to see their online activity without parental consent.
Answered by Feryal Clark
The government has high expectations there will be significant change in online experiences for children, as services start to comply with their duties under the Online Safety Act. Ofcom stands ready to act against services who fall short in protecting users.
Ofcom’s final child safety codes outline over 40 measures that providers should consider to protect children online. Ofcom considered parental controls as part of the evidence base that informed these codes.
Ministers have regular meetings with stakeholders, including social media companies, to discuss protecting children online. Details of ministerial meetings are published quarterly on gov.uk.
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