Online Safety Act 2023: Repeal

Debate between Mark Pritchard and Tom Hayes
Monday 15th December 2025

(1 week, 3 days ago)

Westminster Hall
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Tom Hayes Portrait Tom Hayes (Bournemouth East) (Lab)
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I have met constituents to understand their concerns and ambitions in relation to online safety legislation. There is a clear need to balance the protection of vulnerable users against serious online harms with the need to protect lawful speech as we pragmatically review and implement the Act.

My hon. Friend talks about equipping our younger people, in particular, with the skills to scrutinise what is real or fake. Does he agree that, although we have online safety within the national curriculum, we need to support our teachers to provide consistent teaching in schools across our country so that our children have the skills to think critically about online safety, in the same way as they do about road safety, relationships or consent? [Interruption.]

Mark Pritchard Portrait Mark Pritchard (in the Chair)
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Before we continue, could I ask that everybody has their phone on silent, please?