Keir Starmer makes pressing plea to dads over social media
A Government consultation on keeping kids safe online has had nearly 50,000 responses, but Keir Starmer revealed far more of these had come from mums than dads
The Government is running a consultation on social media(Image: AFP via Getty Images)
Keir Starmer has called for more dads to speak out about how to keep children safe online.
A Government consultation on keeping kids safe online has had nearly 50,000 responses, but the Prime Minister revealed far more of these had come from mums than dads.
The plea comes ahead of a Childhood in the Age of AI summit on Monday, where Technology Secretary Liz Kendall and the NSPCC will meet young people to discuss how AI and technology are shaping childhood.
Mr Starmer told the Mirror he knew how hard it could be to control what his own children see online. He said: “The weight of that responsibility, and the scale of what’s at stake for our children, is always at the forefront of my mind – and I know mums and dads across the country feel the same way.
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“That’s why last week I called the biggest social media companies into Downing Street to deliver a clear message on parents’ behalf: they must do better, and they must do it now. We’ve already had nearly 50,000 responses to our consultation on children’s online wellbeing – but far more have come from mums than dads. I want to hear from more fathers too, because your voice matters.
“For too long, many parents have felt that they’ve been left alone to navigate the challenges social media throws up. That is changing. The future doesn’t have to be out of our hands. This is your chance to shape what comes next. Tell us your views, help us get this right, and together we can build a safer online space for our children.”
It follows a meeting on Thursday at Downing Street between the PM and executives from technology companies Meta, Snap, Google, TikTok and X, where the PM said things “must change”. Elsewhere Technology Secretary Liz Kendall called on more young people to reply before the consultation closes in five weeks, because the respondents so far include only around 6,000 children.
The summit, held at Wilton Park in Sussex, will also include policymakers, tech industry representatives and online safety campaigners.
Ms Kendall said: “I want every young person to hear this clearly: we are determined to keep you safe online and prepare you for the future. It’s not a question of if we will act but how.
“But we want to understand what life online really feels like for you, so we can make it better. What you tell us will shape what happens next. We’re listening, and we will act.”
