Water: Safety
The question
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether her department plans to place water safety campaigns on TikTok, YouTube and other social media platforms popular with young people.
Answered by Emma Hardy
Water safety is a shared responsibility across Government, arm's length bodies, and specialist organisations. All organisations are encouraged to use their social channels in the most effective way. Platform use and advertising spend varies between organisations to reflect different target audiences.
The Environment Agency shares safety advice around its assets and supports campaigns by leading experts such as the RNLI and Royal Life Saving Society. The Canal and River Trust, the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents, and others run their own water safety campaigns across multiple channels.
The National Water Safety Forum is currently running ‘Phone-Float-Throw’, a targeted paid digital campaign aimed at young male audiences across platforms including Snapchat. Defra and its ministers amplify water safety messaging by resharing content from the Environment Agency and partners on social media.
Government departments are limited in their use of TikTok, with central Government activity primarily conducted through the UK Government's central account.
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