Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what steps her Department has taken since the Spending Review to improve online safety on social media platforms in rural areas.

Making the UK a safer place to be online is a priority for the government, including in rural areas. As such, the government is committed to implementing the Online Safety Act as quickly and effectively as possible to ensure that all UK users, particularly children, benefit from its wide-ranging protections.

The illegal content and child safety duties are already in force and we anticipate that adults and children will see a tangible and positive difference in their experiences online. Ofcom is already investigating services in relation to compliance, including with the recent requirements to introduce age checks for pornographic content.