Call for decisive action to protect children from online harm
A coalition led by Children First is calling on the new Scottish Government to take decisive action within its first 100 days to tackle what it describes as “the childhood emergency of our time” driven by growing online harm.
Scotland’s national children’s charity and 16 partner organisations, are urging ministers to establish a Scottish Online Harm Reduction Unit as an early priority for the new Parliament and to adopt a public health approach on a par with seatbelts, smacking and smoking.
The coalition says these key actions would “shape the experiences of a generation” and set the tone for a national mission to protect children and uphold their rights in an increasingly digital world.
The call to action has been sent in a letter to the First Minister and opposition leaders today, with 22 supporting signatories from 16 organisations.
Mary Glasgow, Chief Executive of Children First, said: “If the new Parliament takes decisive action to protect children from online harm in its first 100 days, it will shape the experiences of a generation.
“For too many children in Scotland their childhood is shaped by exposure to harm, distress and exploitation in the digital world.
“We hear every day from children and young people of all ages about the shocking realities they face online. They describe being served harmful and explicit content, bullying, coercion and pressures that cause lasting damage to their health, wellbeing and development.
“Scotland has shown before that it can take bold action on major public health challenges. The Scottish Government must act swiftly to tackle what is the childhood emergency of our time.”
The coalition is calling for a public health approach to online harm that challenges damaging practices by technology companies, raises national awareness of the risks children face at every age and gives parents and carers clear, practical support to keep children safe and support their healthy development. Central to this is ensuring children and young people have access to safe, meaningful activities and spaces away from screens.
The letter to the First Minister argues that a dedicated Scottish Online Harm Reduction Unit is essential to drive this change. It would provide clear national leadership, bring together expertise from across sectors including health, education, justice and technology and strengthen partnership working to deliver real, lasting impact.
Crucially, an online harm reduction unit would ensure children’s voices and experiences shape policy and practice at every level, so solutions reflect what children say they need to feel safe in the digital world.
Eighteen-year-old Anika,* a young person supported by Children First, said: “The internet itself is not evil, it is how it is used. Social media can be a space where young people have people they can talk to that share their interests and passions. But we are watching childhoods being ripped away because of the way social media is normalising harm and unhealthy expectations. To protect children and young people we must create spaces for them outside social media.”
Read Anika’s blog sharing her thoughts on social media here: A blog on social media from Anika age 18 | Children First
The coalition letter to the First Minister and opposition leaders can be read here: online-harm-coalition-letter-to-fm-may-26-final.pdf
*Name has been changed to protect the identity of the young person.