Asked by: Baroness Ritchie of Downpatrick (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:
To ask His Majesty's Government what plans they have to implement the recommendations of the Independent Pornography Review to address the availability of violent online pornography.
Answered by Baroness Jones of Whitchurch - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
The Government published the final report of the Independent Pornography Review on 27 February. The Review found violent pornography is common and easily available online. It is right that the government takes time to understand this complex, deeply important topic. A further update will be provided in due course.
The Online Safety Act requires services publishing or hosting user-generated pornographic content to prevent children from accessing it using highly effective age assurance. Extreme pornography is a priority offence under the Act, requiring services to proactively mitigate and remove this illegal content on their platforms.
Asked by: Baroness Ritchie of Downpatrick (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:
To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the impact that poor media literacy skills have on (1) young people's employability and (2) employers' concerns about workplace readiness.
Answered by Baroness Jones of Whitchurch - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
According to the Essential Digital Skills Framework, media literacy-related skills, including understanding online risks, are essential for work. The Department for Science, Innovation and Technology has worked with FutureDotNow to analyse the benefits of essential digital skills for earnings and employability, with findings being published shortly.
The Digital Inclusion Action Plan outlines steps towards delivering digital inclusion and media literacy for everyone in the UK. The independent Curriculum and Assessment Review is also considering how young people will acquire the digital skills needed for future life, with the interim report highlighting the need for a renewed focus on media literacy.
Asked by: Baroness Ritchie of Downpatrick (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:
To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they will take to implement the recommendations of the report by Baroness Bertin Creating a Safer World–the Challenge of Regulating Online Pornography (HC 592), published on 27 February.
Answered by Baroness Jones of Whitchurch - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
The Independent Pornography Review is a wide-ranging and thorough piece of work which assessed the effectiveness of pornography legislation, regulation, and enforcement. The Review’s final report was published on the 27th of February 2025.
This is an important yet deeply complex topic. The findings of the Review continue to be assessed by the Government.
Asked by: Baroness Ritchie of Downpatrick (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:
To ask His Majesty's Government when they expect the Independent Pornography Review conducted by Baroness Bertin to be completed and published.
Answered by Baroness Jones of Whitchurch - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
The Independent Pornography Review assessed the effectiveness of current pornography legislation, regulation and enforcement. The Review has now concluded, and the report was published on Thursday 27 of February 2025. It is available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/creating-a-safer-world-the-challenge-of-regulating-online-pornography.
Asked by: Baroness Ritchie of Downpatrick (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:
To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to encourage social media and search platforms to go beyond the requirements of the Online Safety Act 2023 in reducing access to harmful suicide and self-harm content.
Answered by Baroness Jones of Whitchurch - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
The government engages regularly with social media and search services and is clear that they should be taking action now to make their services safe for users.
Under the Online Safety Act, in-scope services must prevent all users from encountering illegal suicide and self-harm content, and children from legal content which encourages, promotes or provides instructions for suicide and self-harm.
The government are committed to continuing to engage with those with lived experience and keeping online safety policy under review and will take whatever steps are needed to protect the public.
Asked by: Baroness Ritchie of Downpatrick (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:
To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to ensure that people with lived experience of self-harm and suicide are meaningfully involved in the implementation of the Online Safety Act 2023.
Answered by Baroness Jones of Whitchurch - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
The government engages regularly with social media and search services and is clear that they should be taking action now to make their services safe for users.
Under the Online Safety Act, in-scope services must prevent all users from encountering illegal suicide and self-harm content, and children from legal content which encourages, promotes or provides instructions for suicide and self-harm.
The government are committed to continuing to engage with those with lived experience and keeping online safety policy under review and will take whatever steps are needed to protect the public.
Asked by: Baroness Ritchie of Downpatrick (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:
To ask His Majesty's Government when the 'Small but Risky' taskforce will sit; and how the group will address the risk posed by dangerous online platforms.
Answered by Baroness Jones of Whitchurch - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
The Online Safety Act’s illegal content and, where relevant, child safety duties will apply to services of all sizes. In September 2024, a public exchange of letters between the Secretary of State and Ofcom’s CEO provided more information about the supervision taskforce. The taskforce is developing and delivering a workplan focusing on high priority themes (such as terror, hate and offences against women and girls) in small but risky services. Should such services choose not to engage and there is evidence of non-compliance, Ofcom will undertake enforcement action.
Asked by: Baroness Ritchie of Downpatrick (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:
To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they will take to address the risks posed by small, high-risk online platforms.
Answered by Baroness Jones of Whitchurch - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
The Online Safety Act’s illegal content and, where relevant, child safety duties will apply to services of all sizes. In September 2024, a public exchange of letters between the Secretary of State and Ofcom’s CEO provided more information about the supervision taskforce. The taskforce is developing and delivering a workplan focusing on high priority themes (such as terror, hate and offences against women and girls) in small but risky services. Should such services choose not to engage and there is evidence of non-compliance, Ofcom will undertake enforcement action.
Asked by: Baroness Ritchie of Downpatrick (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:
To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the particular role of (1) Telegram, and (2) any small, high-harm platforms, in inciting the riots in Southport between 30 July and 5 August 2024.
Answered by Baroness Jones of Whitchurch - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
The government is clear all social media platforms have a responsibility to keep their users safe and not facilitate those seeking to sow division in our communities. This is why we are working at pace to implement the Online Safety Act.
During last summer’s unrest, the government focused on working with the platforms with the largest reach in the UK. This included referring content contributing to that disorder for platforms to assess and act on in line with their terms of service. We recognise however that the way platforms are used continues to evolve and so keep our approach under review.
Asked by: Baroness Ritchie of Downpatrick (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:
To ask His Majesty's Government when they will publish their Independent Pornography Review.
Answered by Baroness Jones of Whitchurch - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
The work of the Independent Pornography Review is ongoing and is an important area of interest to this government.
The Review is expected to finalise by early 2025, with publication of the report following shortly after this.