UK government approves amendment for online safety: enhancing corner investigation and protecting children online

During the final day of the online safety bill’s progression through parliament, the UK government approved an amendment proposed by Beeban Kidron, founder of the charitable organization 5rights. The amendment would incorporate Ofcom’s assistance to parents by requiring technology platforms to provide personal information about children whose deaths are suspected to be related to online harm.

Although social media enables voluntary information exchange with coroners who investigate deaths, there are limited legal authorities to enforce the disclosure of such data. Parents have various experiences, and while some technology platforms include digital legacy capabilities for deceased users, they are rarely appropriate and do not have options for sudden deaths.

Bereaved Families for Online Safety, a group of parents, including Molly Russell and Breck Bednar, who died from harmful material exposure on online platforms, endorsed the amendment and sought to make the world safer for children and establish the digital environment they deserve. Molly’s father, Ian Russell, underlined the need for internet access to family data to prevent social media organizations from fostering despair.