The National Youth Agency (NYA) welcomes the Government’s ambition to create safer online environments for children and young people through interrupting endless scrolling, introducing overnight curfews, and limiting access to AI chatbots. However, these restrictions are only one part of the solution.
Strengthening the enforcement and effective implementation of the Online Safety Act is integral to ensuring platforms uphold their responsibility to protect young people from harm. Safety by design should be the expectation and platforms must not be allowed to shift responsibility onto young people, parents, schools or youth services alone.
Youth workers are a crucial part of the support system, providing safe spaces and trusted support where young people can discuss their digital habits, healthy relationships, mental wellbeing and seek support and guidance to stay safe both online and offline.
Legislation must, therefore, sit alongside investment in youth work, mental health support and digital education, so young people are not left to manage complex risks – both in the real world and online – alone.
For many young people and young adults, including those with additional needs, disabilities, anxiety, or limited access to in-person support, digital spaces provide vital access to community and connection. It is therefore essential that these new measures do not unintentionally reduce access to positive, trusted and inclusive support.
As AI and digital technology continues to evolve, policy must be future-facing and focused on resilience, education and support, not simply restriction.
The NYA will continue to develop digital skills training for the youth sector and work with partners to help youth workers navigate these legal changes, but safer online environments will only be achieved when young people, families, schools, youth workers, regulators and technology companies are all part of the solution.
