Children First's response to Ofcom report on children's experiences of harmful content online

Commenting on the new Ofcom report on children's experiences of harmful content online, Linda Jardine, director of children and family services at Children First said:

“None of us should shy away from the stark picture of the overwhelming levels of danger that children face on screens painted by this latest Ofcom report.

“Young people, who we supported to contribute to the report, said they regularly see content about pornography, suicide and self-harm and that content in relation to bullying, hate, abuse, violence, harmful substances and encouraging dangerous stunts and challenges is ‘everywhere.’

“Ensuring that the Online Safety Act accurately reflects the types and severity of content that children see online is crucial, but unless the level of exposure is reduced, children will continue to experience significant harm to their physical and emotional health, wellbeing, relationships and development. We need the UK and Scottish Governments to work together to tackle these deep rooted problems through a public health approach that supports healthier relationships with technology, reduces reliance on screens and promotes safe, trusted connections offline."

You can read Children First's full response to the report here.