A NSPCC survey has revealed that a majority of the public in the North of England wants tougher online safety for children.
The survey shows public backing for senior tech managers to be held legally responsible for safety and liable if products cause serious harm to children.
MPs, bereaved parents, and 7,318 campaigners in the North back calls to strengthen the Online Safety Bill’s response to protecting children on social media
The NSPCC estimates more than 21,000 online child sexual offences recorded by police since legislation was delayed last summer
Polling shows that 83 per cent of adults in the North want senior tech managers to be appointed and held legally responsible for stopping children being harmed by social media.
The survey also found that nearly three-quarters (71 per cent) of those with an opinion in the North would want senior managers prosecuted for failures that resulted in serious harm to children.
The NSPCC, who commissioned the research, said the findings show overwhelming public support for tougher enforcement measures in the Government’s Online Safety Bill.
Currently, the legislation would only hold tech bosses responsible for failing to give information to the regulator Ofcom, and not for corporate decisions that result in preventable harm or sexual abuse.
It comes as Conservative MPs are calling on the Government to amend the Bill to hold senior managers liable for children’s safety when it returns to Parliament on January 16.
Senior MPs including former Home Secretary Priti Patel, Sir William Cash and Miriam Cates are backing the amendment which would mean tech bosses would finally be held to account if their platforms contributed to the serious harm, abuse, or death of a child.
Campaigners say the UK risks being out of step as Irish laws passed last month will hold senior tech bosses liable for online safety changes.
They argue that making the suggested changes would cement the UK as a global authority for children’s safety online.
The move is also supported by Ruth Moss, whose daughter Sophie died by suicide after viewing harmful material on social media.
Ruth said: “As far as I’m concerned, where companies wilfully break the law and put the lives of children like my daughter at risk, of course senior managers should be criminally accountable. The consequences of non-compliance are life-changing for children like Sophie.
“Criminal liability drives the right behaviours in those with the most responsibility. It works in other industries and there is no reason in my mind as to why big tech executives should be treated any differently.”
Miriam Cates MP said: “It’s clear to most people that the big global tech companies are not going to wake up one day and suddenly decide to start protect children from harmful online content.
“We have seen repeated failures of Big tech to protect children from the horrors of sexual exploitation, pornography and content that draws them into self-harm and suicide, and sadly the Online Safety Bill as it stands will not stop this.
“The only way to secure the change we desperately need is to make senior directors personally responsible for failures to protect children and that’s why I urge all MPs to support this amendment to include senior manager liability in the Online Safety Bill.”
The amendment has cross-party support.
