Children's Commissioner Demands Tech Giants Build Safer Online Platforms
Dame Rachel de Souza, the Children's Commissioner for England, has issued a powerful call for technology companies to assume greater responsibility in creating inherently safer digital platforms. This declaration comes as the Government releases new guidance advising parents to limit screen time for young children.
Shared Responsibility for Digital Safety
Parents and children should not be left to shoulder the burden of online safety alone, Dame Rachel emphasized. She argued that technology corporations must take more significant responsibility in designing platforms with built-in safety features that protect young users from potential harm.
"I have spoken to thousands of families, and I'm concerned too many very young children are spending longer on screens than the emerging evidence tells us is healthy," Dame Rachel stated. "For a small but significant group of children, this use is far beyond what is now being recommended – that shows up as disrupted sleep, less interaction with parents or siblings, difficulty paying attention or other impacts on their early development."
New Screen Time Guidance for Families
The Government has issued specific recommendations for parents of young children:
- Limit screen time for children aged two to five to one hour daily, or less if possible
- Avoid screen time for children under two unless for shared interactive activities
- Keep bedtimes and mealtimes screen-free
- Avoid fast-paced, social media-style videos
- Steer clear of toys or tools using artificial intelligence
Dame Rachel clarified that this guidance "is not about making parents feel guilty" but rather aims to "give parents more confidence setting boundaries that best support their child, not to shame them into action."
Political Support for Stronger Measures
Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer has promised a "fight" with social media companies to better protect children online. Visiting a South London school, he declared: "Some of this will require a fight. If we're going to do more to protect children, we're going to have to fight some of the platforms that are putting the material up there because they're putting this addictive stuff up there for a reason."
"They want more children to spend more time online and we've got to fight them and be clear whose side we're on here," Sir Keir added, highlighting the government's determination to confront technology firms over their practices.
Expert Insights and Research Findings
The guidance was developed by a panel led by Dame Rachel and children's health expert Professor Russell Viner, a paediatrician at University College London. Professor Viner explained that prolonged screen watching without interactive engagement "crowds out" essential elements for young children's development, including adequate sleep and physical activity.
"It also seems to have an impact on children's language development," Professor Viner added, noting that approximately 98% of children watch screens daily by age two, with those experiencing the highest screen time showing measurable impacts on their language skills.
Education Minister Josh MacAlister, appearing on ITV's Good Morning Britain, acknowledged there has been "a complete rewiring of childhood" over the past decade due to social media and increased screen time. "For parents of really small children, we're trying to help create some new social norms," he said. "There's no judgment. It's much easier to say these things than it is to do them, I appreciate."
International Precedents and Legal Developments
The Government is currently consulting on measures to protect children under sixteen online, potentially including Australia-style social media bans or alternative restrictions like time limits and curfews. Professor Viner noted that evidence from Australia and various restriction trials will help inform UK decisions.
"We absolutely need to do something to limit the exposure of adolescents to harmful content, as that's the real issue," Professor Viner emphasized. "I absolutely support thinking about how we get social media companies to design things that are pro-development by design."
This debate gains additional urgency following a recent Los Angeles jury ruling that found Google (YouTube's owner) and Meta (operator of Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp) deliberately built platforms to hook young users without proper regard for their wellbeing.
Dame Rachel concluded with a forward-looking perspective: "Ultimately, my hope is for children's safety to be at the centre of this evolving debate, tackling dangers online – not simply banning children from real world experiences that make up modern childhood and thinking that's enough to protect them."
