In a recent interview with the BBC, activist Esther Ghey expressed her frustration with the government’s handling of online safety, emphasizing the detrimental impact on young people’s lives. Ghey’s teenage daughter Brianna was tragically murdered in February 2023 by two peers, one of whom had been consuming violent online content. Brianna herself had been exposed to material promoting self-harm, highlighting the urgent need for improved online safety measures.
Amid concerns that the Online Safety Bill may be weakened to secure favorable trade relations with US President Donald Trump, Ghey denounced such potential compromises as “shocking”. A government representative reaffirmed the commitment to safeguarding young individuals online, despite the challenges posed by emerging digital threats. The gravity of the situation was underscored by the sentencing of Brianna’s assailants, Eddie Ratcliffe and Scarlett Jenkinson, to life imprisonment in February 2024.
During an appearance on the Laura Kuenssberg show, Ghey emphasized the pivotal role of robust online safety legislation in protecting vulnerable youth. She called attention to the Behind Our Screens initiative, aimed at encouraging young people to share their digital experiences and seek support. Ghey’s advocacy extends to advocating for stricter regulations on children’s social media access, urging policymakers to adopt a more resolute stance to prevent further tragedies like Brianna’s untimely death.
Joining Ghey in the discussion, Roxy Longworth shared her harrowing experience of being coerced into sharing explicit images as a teenager, leading to profound mental health struggles. Longworth underscored the urgent need to bridge the generational gap on social media literacy, enabling open dialogues between young individuals and their caregivers. The government, in response to mounting concerns, underscored the obligation of online platforms to prevent illegal content dissemination and vowed to introduce measures ensuring age-appropriate online content for children in the near future. Research initiatives are underway to assess the impact of social media and smartphone usage on children’s well-being, informing prospective policy decisions in the realm of online safety
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