IN South East Cornwall, we want to protect our children and vulnerable people from potential harm online. Social media is not a village noticeboard, it’s controlled by algorithms, which decide what is recommended and amplified to millions of people. I believe that tech companies should be held responsible because they decide what we see.

Many people have been speaking with me about how they are concerned about the effects on our young people. I’ve also been working with families who have been deeply affected by these harms. These conversations have been incredibly powerful, highlighting the very real and devastating consequences that online platforms can have.

That’s why I raised this issue in the House of Commons during Prime Minister’s Questions. I called for stronger online platform accountability. I asked about what further actions the Government is taking to better protect vulnerable people from harmful content. I am determined to ensure that progress continues by monitoring how policies are working in practice and identifying where more needs to be done.

I’ve also met with Ministers to continue to raise this issue. I met with the Minister for AI and Online Safety, Kanishka Narayan MP, about how AI impacts online safety. We spoke about the importance of ensuring that our young people are safe when using AI tools and accessing digital content, and it is great that the Labour Government is taking proactive steps to get to the heart of the issue.

I welcome the steps this Labour Government has taken in response to the concerns I have been raising, including measures under the Online Safety Act and proposals to ban major social media platforms for under-16s. My focus, and the Government’s policies, are about keeping children and vulnerable people safe from harm. Unfortunately, we have many cases in the UK where people have been bullied, harassed, and coerced online often resulting in years of trauma and grief. We must acknowledge these challenges and respond accordingly.

At the same time, we must set our children and young people up for success, so that they have activities without screens. I’m working to improve our community spaces in South East Cornwall such as Torpoint Defence Park, and over the summer the Chancellor is cutting VAT on children’s meals, tickets and family attractions. These actions will support our children to spend more time with their families, in their communities, and to feel connected to where they live.

So, it is vital that we improve online safety. For far too long, there has not been enough scrutiny of online platforms, and that needs to change. We are taking bold steps to get to grips with the issue at hand, and this is real progress to ensure that everyone in our communities can feel safe online. But there needs to be conversations at every step of the way to look at what is working and where further improvements can be made. As South East Cornwall’s MP, that’s exactly what I’ll continue to do.