Online safety consultation

Our new research briefing shows strong support from the UK public for new legislation to protect young people on social media.

As the Government consultation into online safety progresses it shows that UK adults want Government to listen to parents but also to expert evidence to get the next steps right.

The polling shows:

• There is exceptionally high public concern about children’s online safety in the UK right now (91%), with concern consistent across political affiliation, age, class and geography.
• Strong support for a new Online Safety Act. Three quarters (73%) of UK adults support new legislation to strengthen regulation of social media platforms, with support higher than recent polling in favour of an Australian-style ban.
• When thinking about the next steps on online safety, most parents are focused on the ends (safer online experiences) rather than specific means to achieve them. More than four in five adults think it is important the Government listens to both parents and the evidence, with a clear preference for decisive and evidence-based interventions. This suggests the Government’s consultation is inherently the right approach.
• There’s strong support to strengthen and expand the scope of regulation – with high public support for the Online Safety Act being extended to cover both chronic and acute harms, as well as a broader range of risks across the tech stack, including AI.