Commons Sense

House of Commons · Ministers' Questions

Protecting Young People Online

Wednesday 4 February 2026 · 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 2 Partly answered 1 Not answered 0

Key points

  • Jess Brown-Fuller asked the Minister to commit to publishing a report examining the effectiveness of the Online Safety Act in keeping children safe online.
  • Catherine Atkinson inquired how to ensure children and young people's voices are central in the national conversation about online protection.
  • Danny Beales questioned the Department's engagement with the Department for Education's curriculum review to equip young people with skills to identify online harms and misinformation.

Topics (select to filter)

Questions & Answers

Q1 Jess Brown-Fuller Lib Dem Chichester
Culture, Media & Sport
Context

The Online Safety Act was intended to protect children from harmful content online. A study by the Molly Rose Foundation found that over a third of 13 to 17-year-olds had seen harmful content before the Act's implementation.

Question

Given that young people in my constituency still see harmful content, will the Minister commit to publishing a report examining whether the Online Safety Act is meeting its stated aim of keeping children safe online while we wait for the Government’s response to their own consultation?

Answer from The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology (Kanishka Narayan)

I thank the hon. Lady for raising that important point. I have engaged deeply and frequently with the Molly Rose Foundation on this issue and wider concerns. We continue to ensure that the monitoring and evaluation of the Online Safety Act’s implementation is in progress—I am engaging regularly on that, and I am happy to continue the conversation.

Partly answered

Not addressed: Commitment to publish a specific report not provided

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Q2 Catherine Atkinson Lab Derby North
Culture, Media & Sport Children & Families
Context

Parents in Derby want to know that their children are properly protected from harmful content and addictive design features when using the internet.

Question

How can we ensure that children and young people's voices are at the heart of this national conversation on protecting them online, in addition to listening to organisations representing them?

Answer from The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology (Kanishka Narayan)

I first pay tribute to my hon. Friend for the depth and breadth of her advocacy for the people of Derby. I can confirm that I would be delighted to ensure that we continue the conversation with young people. I was at a school last week, and I will be in a school this week. I commit to the House that the Secretary of State and I will continue to put young people at the heart of all our decisions.

Answered
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Q3 Danny Beales Lab Uxbridge and South Ruislip
Education Culture, Media & Sport
Context

Over 400 constituents have called for greater regulation of social media and young people’s use of it. There is a debate about whether there should be a full or partial ban.

Question

What engagement is the Department having with the Department for Education’s curriculum review to give young people the skills, information and support they need to identify online harms and misinformation?

Answer from The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology (Kanishka Narayan)

My hon. Friend is absolutely right: regulation is one part of this issue, but we are also focused on the fundamental aspects of media literacy and education. We are engaging very closely with the Department for Education on a media literacy aspect of the national curriculum to ensure that our young people can spot misinformation and disinformation, and that they are prepared to make the most of online experiences.

Answered
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