Oral Answers to Questions

James Duddridge Excerpts

Monday 3rd December 2018 Commons Chamber

The Secretary of State was asked—

[James Duddridge (Rochford and Southend East) (Con)]

1. What steps he is taking to tackle online child grooming.

[The Secretary of State for the Home Department (Sajid Javid)]

Tacking online grooming is one of our highest priorities. We are increasing our investment in law enforcement and legislating on online harms to bear down on the threat. In November, I also co-hosted a hackathon in the United States, where tech companies developed an artificial intelligence product to detect online grooming, which will be sent out licence-free for all technology companies to use worldwide.

[James Duddridge]

I was particularly impressed by the hackathon and the tools used. Will my right hon. Friend explain in more detail how what he saw in the US can be used here in the United Kingdom?

[Sajid Javid]

I gladly will. The hackathon event that I attended in the US involved the giant tech companies that we all know of. They worked together to develop a new artificial intelligence product that will detect online grooming; that is the intention. The technology showed the industry at its best and most creative, and it will help change people’s lives.