The Digital Dilemma – Protecting our children in an online world

This morning I sat in the House of Commons for the second reading of the Protection of Children (Digital Safety and Data Protection) Bill.

The digital world our children are growing up in offers incredible opportunities – but it also presents significant risks. As a father to a one-year-old, I find myself increasingly concerned about the online landscape he will navigate. How do we ensure that innovation and opportunity go hand in hand with safety and protection?

Recent statistics highlight the urgency of this issue. According to Ofcom, nine in 10 children now own a mobile phone by the age of 11. Before they even reach secondary school, they have access to a device that connects them to an expansive digital world – one that is not always safe. Are we doing enough to protect them?

The government has made clear its commitment to online safety, particularly with the implementation of the Online Safety Act. However, while we focus on shielding children from overtly harmful content, we must also address the less obvious but equally damaging dangers of excessive smartphone use and social media addiction.

Research from King’s College London found that one in four children and young people use their smartphones in a way consistent with behavioural addiction. Numerous studies link smartphone overuse to declining student performance, mental health struggles, and increased anxiety and depression. This is not just an abstract concern – it’s a reality many families are grappling with.

We are facing a mental health epidemic among our children, and the problem is particularly stark in Blackpool where hospital admissions for children and young people due to self-harm are more than twice the national average.  

Parents need reliable, science-backed guidance on how to manage their children’s screen time. That’s why I fully support measures to ensure the UK’s Chief Medical Officers provide clear advice for parents and carers. I am sure I will personally find the guidance extremely useful as my son grows older.

But the risks go beyond mental health. In my role as Deputy Police and Crime Commissioner for Lancashire, I witnessed firsthand how social media platforms are being exploited for criminal activity. In Blackpool, young people have told me they can order drugs and knives directly through social media. National policing experts confirm that illegal weapons are being sold through these platforms at an alarming rate. This is happening right now, in communities across the country. Tech companies must take greater responsibility for the content and transactions occurring on their sites.

Moreover, we cannot ignore that vulnerable children – those in care, young carers, children in poverty, or those with additional needs – are at an even greater risk in the online world. If we fail to act, we are failing those who need protection the most.

This is more than just an issue of data protection or digital safety. It’s about safeguarding the future of our children, their mental health and their wellbeing. We must listen to parents, teachers, mental health professionals, and young people themselves when they warn us about the dangers of unregulated screen time and harmful online content.

If we take decisive action today, we can create a future where technology is a tool for empowerment rather than a source of harm. We owe that much to our children.