Online safety campaigners are not prevailing through reasoned debate but rather through public outrage that compels rapid legislative changes, according to a prominent children's rights advocate. Baroness Kidron, the filmmaker and founder of the digital child safety organisation 5Rights, has expressed significant concern that recently enacted laws have fallen short of campaigners' expectations and fail to address fundamental issues.
Outrage Over Argument Driving Political Response
Baroness Kidron articulated her position clearly, stating that campaigners are "winning the outrage" rather than the argument. She warned that this dynamic could lead the Government to implement poorly considered measures, such as blanket bans, out of political expediency rather than through careful consideration of regulatory context.
"What we're doing is we're winning the outrage," Lady Kidron explained. "And the Government will probably out of political expediency do the wrong thing which is, just bring in a ban without thinking about the political context or the regulatory context."
Families Fighting for Answers After Tragedies
This perspective finds powerful resonance with families who have experienced devastating losses. Ellen Roome, whose 14-year-old son Jools Sweeney died while reportedly attempting an online challenge, highlighted the immense struggle families face in seeking answers that should be readily available.
"Things are moving more quickly now because the scale of harm has become impossible to ignore," Ms Roome told PA. "Too many children have been hurt or lost, and too many families, including mine after Jools died, have spent years fighting for answers that should never have been denied."
Legislative Action and Proposed Amendments
The urgency of these concerns is amplified as the Crime and Policing Bill prepares for debate in the House of Lords. Lady Kidron has tabled a series of amendments focused on improving the preservation of social media data, which could prove critical for authorities investigating child deaths.
Despite voting for an under-16s social media ban as part of the Children's Wellbeing and Schools Bill last Wednesday, the crossbench peer called for "a better answer than a ban" that addresses "root harms" while maintaining children's internet access.
The Data Preservation Challenge
Current mechanisms allowing coroners to request social media companies preserve data about deceased children are "isn't working," according to Lady Kidron, with many investigators unaware of their Online Safety Act powers. She advocates for automatic data preservation notices to ensure vital evidence isn't lost.
"Whatever the circumstances are of a child's death, the coroner, the police and parents need to know what's been going on," Lady Kidron emphasised. "This is not about apportioning blame to another user, to the site, to the child. It's about having the information so that one can come to a conclusion about what the contributing factors are."
Broader Calls for Action
Meanwhile, Ms Roome has joined other bereaved parents in calling for a statutory ban on mobile phones in schools. In a letter to Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer, a group led by Esther Ghey, whose daughter Brianna was murdered by two teenagers, urged support for an amendment to the Children's Wellbeing and Schools Bill.
"A consultation is not action, it is a delay," the group stated, "and while we wait, parents and teachers continue to struggle to protect young people, and children are being harmed."
Government Response and Consultation
The Government has launched a consultation on measures to enhance children's wellbeing online, potentially including minimum age requirements for social media access and removal of addictive features. A Government spokesperson affirmed their commitment to ensuring children develop healthy relationships with technology while acknowledging the complexity of the issue.
"We've been clear – we will take action to make sure children have a healthy relationship with mobile phones and social media," the spokesperson stated. "This is a complex issue with no common consensus and it's important we get this right."
The spokesperson further emphasised strengthened powers under the Online Safety Act, including coroners' authority to require platforms to preserve data immediately to prevent evidence deletion.
