Online safety for children and young people

Growing up in the online world consultation

The government has launched a consultation on measures to prepare children for the future in an age of rapid technological change. This includes potential age restrictions on social media and other services such as gaming sites and AI chatbots, restrictions on addictive design features and risky functionalities, and better support for parents and families.
The government is seeking views from everyone, with separate surveys for parents and carers and for children and young people
The consultation will close on 26 May 2026.
Growing up in the online world: a national consultation – GOV.UK

Did you know?

• 30% of children aged 11-17 have seen content such as a form of suicide, self-harm, pornography and/or eating disorder content online
• 70% of secondary-age children have seen content harmful to children online; the most likely being bullying or hate content
• 1 in 10 children said they have at some point been asked to share naked or half-dressed photos or videos (in 2022)

(Ofcom Online Safety in 2025)

For most people, the internet is an integral part of life and online gaming is a great way to have fun and connect with others. Internet use has many benefits, such as improving cognitive abilities, especially logical problem solving, increasing knowledge and verbal skills, and teaches teamwork and confidence.

However, use of the internet can present some challenging issues, especially for  young and vulnerable people, such as those with a learning disability, including:

• cyberbullying
• pressure to take part in sexting
• encouragement to self-harm
• grooming and exploitation, including radicalisation
• exposure to harmful content, including pornography

Children, parents and carers therefore need to be aware of the risks and how to manage them so that young and vulnerable people are able to be online more safely.

Resources for online safety

Family Information Service Reading offers a wealth of online safety resources.

Brighter Futures for Children offers advice and guidance on child exploitation.

Mencap provides advice on online safety