Co Down schoolgirl stresses urgent need for Online Safety Bill at Labour Party Conference

A young NSPCC campaigner from Newry attended the recent Labour Party conference in Liverpool to discuss the importance of introducing new online safety laws.
By Graeme Cousins
Published 11th Oct 2022, 16:58 GMT
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As part of the event, 17-year-old Aoife Murphy, a member of NSPCC’s Young People’s Board for Change, attended the Taming the Web panel discussion where she and other YPBC members met with Alex Davies-Jones, Shadow Minister for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, to talk about how the Online Safety Bill can bring greater protection for children online.

“The current support that young people are getting online is shockingly limited,” said Aoife.

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“Every day, young people are exposed to inappropriate and disturbing content from all different directions. This is having an effect on them in ways we don’t understand and the companies responsible are simply not doing enough to protect young people from online dangers.

CAPTION: Aoife Murphy (right) from Newry, Co Down, pictured at the recent Labour Party Conference in Liverpool, alongside fellow NSPCC Young People’s Board for Change members, Rachel Talbot (left) from Scotland and Elan Oldrey (centre) from WalesCAPTION: Aoife Murphy (right) from Newry, Co Down, pictured at the recent Labour Party Conference in Liverpool, alongside fellow NSPCC Young People’s Board for Change members, Rachel Talbot (left) from Scotland and Elan Oldrey (centre) from Wales
CAPTION: Aoife Murphy (right) from Newry, Co Down, pictured at the recent Labour Party Conference in Liverpool, alongside fellow NSPCC Young People’s Board for Change members, Rachel Talbot (left) from Scotland and Elan Oldrey (centre) from Wales

“This is particularly frustrating when there are solutions through the Online Safety Bill. At times current support seems non-existent particularly when it is needed most, and it is leaving thousands of young people vulnerable.

“It’s really disheartening to see young people failed by social media companies. It’s like they’re willing to sacrifice young people’s safety for a few ‘likes’.

“As social media continues to grow and dominate our world it is vital that we have online safety laws that protect all young people.”

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Also on the panel at the event, which was organised by NSPCC and Barnardo’s, were Andy Burrows, NSPCC’s Head of Child Safety Online Policy, CEO of Barnardo’s Lynn Perry MBE, and Andrea Simon, Director of End Violence Against Women Coalition.

The NSPCC is calling for the bill to be implemented in full without delay.

Related topics:NSPCCLiverpoolNewry