In The Room: Protection of Children Bill
Hearing Date: 11/12/2024
Big Sister’s founder and Managing Director Anne Mundy was in parliament recently for the final committee meeting of a private members hearing concerning the Protection of Children Bill (Digital Safety and Data Protection) run by Josh McAllister MP.
This is an important step towards improving the safety of children online and represents a positive change in the way the UK government is recognizing and approaching online safety.
Here’s a breakdown of the event:
The meeting aimed to address online dangers for children, specifically focusing on their smartphone and social media usage. This session followed a series of previous meetings where MPs engaged with various stakeholders. The goal was to hold social media and network companies accountable for their practices.
Proposed Bill
The bill, aims at enhancing child protection in digital spaces. It is proposing further protections on social media and digital devices for children. For example, raising the age of social media consent for a child, which is currently at 13 years old.
Attendees
The hearing included:
- MPs: from various parties involved in the bill.
- Charities and Organizations: 5Rights, Big Sister, and Global Action Plan.
- Representatives from social media platforms: SnapChat, Meta, YouTube, and TikTok.
- Network company representatives: Mobile UK, Vodafone, O2, and BT.
- Bereaved parents: Notably Ellen Roome, one of our Experts.
Photo taken during the hearing
Key Moments and Insights
- Parents made emotional appeals for immediate action to prevent harm. Social media companies acknowledged and apologized.
- MPs pressured these companies to improve data sharing with coroners and committed to maintaining contact with bereaved families.
- Notably, this was the first time bereaved parents met directly with social media representatives; previously, only TikTok had communicated with Ellen before this hearing.
- There was a significant discussion about the lack of awareness among social media representatives regarding high-profile cases of child exploitation, raising concerns about their proactivity in safeguarding children online. In one particular key moment, MP Sorcha Eastwood used the example of a recently convicted man who had used primarily Snapchat to abuse 3500 children. From this example, it was telling that the social media company’s lack the insight and processes on how to quickly address such instances of harm, as they had not heard of the exemplar case and were shocked by it.
- A notable comment from the bills sponsor MP Josh MacAlister outlined the disparity between industry claims and public expectations regarding child online safety.
Overall, the meeting underscored urgent calls for stronger regulations and more proactive measures from tech companies to protect children in the evolving digital landscape.
Summary
The bill's passage is uncertain without government support during a second reading, which can be difficult to proceed with due to its complex and far-reaching measures requiring thorough policy evaluation. However, we at Big Sister hope the government will embrace its principles and incorporate them into future legislation.
This process is time-consuming. We commend Josh McAllister for his systematic approach and were impressed by the MPs on the panel. Regardless of the bill's outcome, Big Sister will continue to serve as a practical safety net for parents.
We extend our gratitude to Ellen Roome for including our co-found Anne Mundy with her group of bereaved families allowed into the meeting.
Follow all updates here: Protection of Children (Digital Safety and Data Protection) Bill - Parliamentary Bills - UK Parliament
