Ban children from social media if Online Safety Act watered down, children’s commissioner says | Politics News

Young people should be completely removed from social media if the online safety law is watered down as part of US trade negotiations, the children’s commissioner told England.

Dame Rachel de Souza has Sky News’ breakfast with Wilfred Frost That she fought for the flagship bill because children as young as eight are exposed to “gore, pornography, terrible humiliating violence against women” on the internet.

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The act require firms to block on social media children Access to illegal and harmful material, with fines if they do not.

Dame Rachel said: “If regulation on children is withdrawn, if the online safety bill is withdrawn on children, our children need children on social media.”

She said it would be a ‘disgrace’ because ‘we want the internet to be a joyous place where you can learn things’.

“However, children should be kept safe” and parents would “be surprised at what their little ones see”, she added, referring to the matter of an eight -year -old boy who told her he had seen pornography.

There are already reports that Labor The Online Safety Act (OSA), which was approved by the Tories in 2023, could work to avoid Trump tariffs.

The US president imposed a 10% levy on British imports As part of global measures announced last nightwhich is relatively light compared to other countries, but above a 25% tariff on UK car imports.

Ministers still insist on a trade agreement in which they hope the rates can be relieved, with Technology is expected to be the center of this.

A government spokesman refused to comment on Sky News when asked if the OSA could be part of the negotiations.

The act was criticized by technical bosses, while US officials allegedly complained to OfCom, reports The Guardian.

However, any movement to ward it off will anger the labor members of the labor, as the party’s manifesto has promised to strengthen online safety.

‘Very obvious’ We affect online safety attitude

Sky News recently revealed that dozens of backs who want a harder action on online safety formed a group to discuss the following steps, with the first meeting held last week.

There is “a lot of determination to do something,” a source close to the group said today.

They added: “It is very clear that US negotiations have a major impact on the government’s direction on online security regulation, not necessarily on the act itself, but certainly in their resistance to doing something new despite a significant public and political pressure.”

There is a great concern about violent and sexist social media content served to children, which renewed attention after the release of the Netflix drama adolescence.

Sir Keir held a round table in Downing Street this week with the creators, charities and young people of the show on how to prevent young boys is dragged into a ‘whirlpool of hatred and misogy’.

Many MPs support strong actions including a Ban on social media on under 16s and smartphone ban in classrooms.

‘Parents should set an example’

Most schools are already prohibiting telephones to lead the conservatives last year, but it is not required by law and now The Tories say it should be.

Asked if she wants to see a ban, Dame Rachel, a former 20 -year -old head teacher, said there was “no reason to have internet connection phones at school during the day.”

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She said she will release research next week, showing that most schools prohibit phones “and what we need to do is support our heads” rather than “missives from Westminster”.

She said parents should also “support their heads on this,” while setting an example to children about their own screen time.

‘If we as adults browse at the lunch time, when we look at the phone in bed, if we are more interested in it than we are actually talking and endearing … young children will teach it from us.

“Of course I don’t want phones in schools, I have forbidden them for years, but it has to go beyond that.”