Asked by: Sorcha Eastwood (Alliance - Lagan Valley)
Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:
To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, if she will meet the Chief Medical Officer to discuss the potential merits of raising the digital age of consent.
Answered by Kanishka Narayan - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
In December 2024 DSIT commissioned a feasibility study into research to understand the impact of smartphones and social media on children. The report will be published in due course.
The government keeps all legislation under review and engages regularly with experts – including Chief Scientific Advisors - to gather evidence of where updates are needed. The government has not proposed changes to digital age of consent or a consultation on this, at this stage.
Where there is evidence that more needs to be done to protect children online the government will not hesitate to act.
Asked by: Sorcha Eastwood (Alliance - Lagan Valley)
Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:
To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, when her Department plans to complete the feasibility study on the potential impact of (a) smartphone and (b) social media use on children’s wellbeing.
Answered by Kanishka Narayan - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
In December 2024 DSIT commissioned a feasibility study into research to understand the impact of smartphones and social media on children. The report will be published in due course.
The government keeps all legislation under review and engages regularly with experts – including Chief Scientific Advisors - to gather evidence of where updates are needed. The government has not proposed changes to digital age of consent or a consultation on this, at this stage.
Where there is evidence that more needs to be done to protect children online the government will not hesitate to act.
Asked by: Sorcha Eastwood (Alliance - Lagan Valley)
Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:
To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, whether she plans to hold a public consultation on her Department's proposed changes to the digital age of consent.
Answered by Kanishka Narayan - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
In December 2024 DSIT commissioned a feasibility study into research to understand the impact of smartphones and social media on children. The report will be published in due course.
The government keeps all legislation under review and engages regularly with experts – including Chief Scientific Advisors - to gather evidence of where updates are needed. The government has not proposed changes to digital age of consent or a consultation on this, at this stage.
Where there is evidence that more needs to be done to protect children online the government will not hesitate to act.
Asked by: Sorcha Eastwood (Alliance - Lagan Valley)
Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:
To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, if she will make an assessment of the potential merits of increasing the digital age of consent.
Answered by Kanishka Narayan - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
In December 2024 DSIT commissioned a feasibility study into research to understand the impact of smartphones and social media on children. The report will be published in due course.
The government keeps all legislation under review and engages regularly with experts – including Chief Scientific Advisors - to gather evidence of where updates are needed. The government has not proposed changes to digital age of consent or a consultation on this, at this stage.
Where there is evidence that more needs to be done to protect children online the government will not hesitate to act.
Asked by: Sorcha Eastwood (Alliance - Lagan Valley)
Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:
To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what his planned timetable is for his Department's examination of the digital age of consent.
Answered by Chris Bryant - Minister of State (Department for Business and Trade)
We have added measures to the Data (Use and Access) Bill to strengthen data protection standards for children. Any changes to the age of digital consent would require public consultation.
We continue to consider further options for protecting children online and commissioned a feasibility study to further explore the impact of smartphones and social media use on children’s wellbeing to help inform our next steps. We do not have a timetable for completing this work.
Asked by: Sorcha Eastwood (Alliance - Lagan Valley)
Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:
To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what recent discussions he has had with the Chief Medical Officer on the potential merits of raising the digital age of consent.
Answered by Chris Bryant - Minister of State (Department for Business and Trade)
Ministers and officials engage regularly with a range of experts and stakeholders on issues relating to children’s online safety and wellbeing. While there have been no recent formal discussions with the Chief Medical Officer specifically on the digital age of consent, we will continue to draw on expert advice as we review the evidence in this area.
Asked by: Sorcha Eastwood (Alliance - Lagan Valley)
Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:
To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, if he will introduce legislation to improve online safety laws.
Answered by Feryal Clark
The government is committed to working with Ofcom to ensure the Online Safety Act is implemented quickly and effectively.
This year we expect users, in particular children, to see notable change in their online experience as the duties come into force. Ofcom is now enforcing the illegal safety duties, and protections for children will follow next month.
The government has high expectations for platforms, and nothing is off the table when it comes to keeping children and the public safe. The government has already built on the Act and will continue to do so where required.
Asked by: Sorcha Eastwood (Alliance - Lagan Valley)
Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:
To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what recent assessment he has made of the potential merits of raising the digital age of consent.
Answered by Feryal Clark
When Information Society Services, such as social media or live streaming sites, rely on consent to process children’s data, consent is only lawful in respect of children under the age of 13 when parental authority has been granted. The current age of consent was set by Parliament in the Data Protection Act 2018. We will continue to keep the evidence for and against change in this area under review.
Asked by: Sorcha Eastwood (Alliance - Lagan Valley)
Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:
To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, with reference to the report entitled AI Opportunities Action Plan, published on 13 January 2025, what discussions he has had with the (a) Secretary of State for Northern Ireland and (b) Northern Ireland Executive on the implementation of that plan in Northern Ireland.
Answered by Feryal Clark
The AI Opportunities Action Plan sets out how we will achieve our AI ambitions by laying the foundations for AI growth, driving adoption and building UK capability at the frontier. The Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology engaged with Northern Ireland’s Ministerial representatives about the Action Plan. We will continue to engage widely as government takes the Action Plan forward.
Asked by: Sorcha Eastwood (Alliance - Lagan Valley)
Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:
To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what steps his Department is taking to shut down online scams related to funeral homes.
Answered by Feryal Clark
Fraud offences are designated as priority under the Online Safety Act, which means that user-to-user and search services in scope of the Act must implement measures to prevent users encountering scams and frauds via their services.
Additional duties to have systems and process in place to prevent users from encountering paid-for fraudulent advertising will also apply to Category 1 and 2A services (user-to-user and search services over designated thresholds).
These measures are designed to prevent a range of online frauds, including social media scams.