Commons Sense

House of Commons · Ministers' Questions

Online Safety: Children

Monday 25 November 2024 · 3 questions

Summarised by AI from the official record, so it can contain mistakes.

Read the full transcript on Parliament.uk

At a glance

Answered 0 Partly answered 3 Not answered 0

Key points

  • Gregor Poynton raised concerns about Facebook's decision to allow encrypted image sharing, citing potential risks for child safety online.
  • The Minister acknowledged Facebook's role in combating child sex abuse online but expressed serious concerns about the company's recent policy changes.
  • Munira Wilson discussed a constituent's loss due to an online suicide forum, highlighting the need for stronger regulation under the Online Safety Act.

Topics (select to filter)

Questions & Answers

Q1 Gregor Poynton Lab Livingston
Crime & Law Enforcement Children & Families
Context

Concern over the proliferation of child abuse online and Facebook's decision to allow encrypted sharing of images, making it a potential safe haven for paedophiles.

Question

What steps her Department is taking to help keep children safe online. I greatly welcome the action that the Government are taking, but the fight against child sex abuse online is only as strong as its weakest link, and Facebook's decision to allow the encrypted sharing of images makes it a very weak link indeed. Does the Minister share my anger that Facebook appears to be turning a blind eye while its platform becomes a safe haven for paedophiles?

Answer from Jess Phillips

My hon. Friend raises an extremely serious issue. I assure him that we very much share his concerns. The Home Secretary has met representatives from Meta and our officials are in regular contact. What we say in all those discussions is very simple. For years, Meta has been an industry leader when it comes to preventing and detecting child sex abuse online, and what we all want to see is it continuing to play that positive role and not—as my hon. Friend fears—going in the opposite direction.

Partly answered

Not addressed: The Minister did not address whether Facebook's decision was being directly challenged or if actions were taken against them.

How: We Share Your Concerns, Industry Leader

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Q2 Gregor Poynton Lab Livingston
Culture, Media & Sport Children & Families
Context

A constituent's son committed suicide after exposure to an online suicide forum, and 87 others have also been linked to this site. Under the Online Safety Act, sites like these should be regulated under category 1 but are not due to advice from Ofcom.

Question

Under the Online Safety Act, the Technology Secretary has the powers to include such small but very dangerous sites under category 1—the most heavily regulated category—but Ofcom has advised him against doing so. Will the Minister press her colleagues in the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology to include these exceptionally dangerous sites in category 1?

Answer from Jess Phillips

I pay tribute to the hon. Member's constituent. It is unimaginable for any parent to have to go through something like that. We at the Home Office are working incredibly closely with our DSIT colleagues as the Online Safety Act comes into force to ensure that it is as strong and robust as it can be. We are having those conversations daily.

Partly answered

Not addressed: The Minister did not commit to pressing her colleagues at DSIT to include dangerous sites in category 1.

How: Working Closely, Having Conversations

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Q3 Munira Wilson Lib Dem Twickenham
Culture, Media & Sport Mental Health
Context

A constituent's son committed suicide after exposure to an online suicide forum, and 87 others have also been linked to this site. Under the Online Safety Act, sites like these should be regulated under category 1 but are not due to advice from Ofcom.

Question

My constituent lost his son to suicide following exposure to an online suicide forum. He is sadly one of 88 known Britons, the youngest of whom was just 17, whose deaths have been linked to this one site. Under the Online Safety Act, the Technology Secretary has the powers to include such small but very dangerous sites under category 1—the most heavily regulated category—but Ofcom has advised him against doing so. Will the Minister press her colleagues in the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology to include these exceptionally dangerous sites in category 1?

Answer from Jess Phillips

I pay tribute to the hon. Member's constituent. It is unimaginable for any parent to have to go through something like that. We at the Home Office are working incredibly closely with our DSIT colleagues as the Online Safety Act comes into force to ensure that it is as strong and robust as it can be. We are having those conversations daily.

Partly answered

Not addressed: The Minister did not commit to pressing her colleagues at DSIT to include dangerous sites in category 1.

How: Working Closely, Having Conversations

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