Children and the internet inquiry

Published 12 October 2017.

The government says its Internet Safety Strategy, published as a green paper with an eight week consultation, responds to the majority of the Committee's recommendations, and the annex sets out its position on the rest.

• On minimum standards for social media companies, it is consulting on a code of practice under the Digital Economy Act, and invites views on a levy on social media companies and an annual internet safety transparency report.
• On a summit to set minimum standards, it thanks the Committee and says "We will consider this as one of the next steps", following the Strategy consultation.
• On filters being 'on' by default, it states its belief that the current industry-led self-regulatory approach "works well" and says a mandatory approach "risks" replacing user-friendly tools with a more inflexible 'top down' regulatory system.
• On a Children's Digital Champion in the Cabinet Office, it points to the Minister for Digital's responsibility for all digital matters and to a remodelled UKCCIS. The response does not state that a Champion will be established.

Read the government's response ↗ Report an error