Online safety group urges Starmer to intervene over child sexual abuse imagery

22 January 2025, 00:04

A child’s hand pressing a key of a laptop keyboard
Social media ban for under-16s. Picture: PA

The Internet Watch Foundation has called on the Prime Minister to step in over what it says are gaps in the Online Safety Act.

Sir Keir Starmer must intervene and strengthen incoming online safety rules after a record amount of child sexual abuse material was found on the internet in 2024, a leading online safety organisation has said.

The Internet Watch Foundation (IWF), which proactively searches for and helps remove child sexual abuse imagery from the internet, has written to the Prime Minister warning that without his input, platforms will have a “blatant get-out clause” to evade compliance with parts of the Online Safety Act, which is due to begin coming into force this year.

The IWF said the wording of codes of practice within the Act allows firms to remove illegal content only when it is “technically feasible”, and warns that this will incentivise platforms to avoid finding ways to remove illegal content in order to evade compliance.

The charity said Sir Keir was in a unique position to intervene because it was the Prime Minster, when previously head of the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS), who had first authorised the IWF to start proactively hunting down abuse imagery on the internet.

We call on your Government to remove the safe harbour inadvertently offered to platforms – including those that facilitate the sharing of child sexual abuse material - by the Act

Catherine Brown, IWF

Writing to the Prime Minister, IWF chairwoman Catherine Brown said: “We are deeply concerned that the codes allow services to remove illegal content only when it is ‘technically feasible’, which will incentivise platforms to avoid finding ways to remove illegal content in order to evade compliance.

“This undermines the Act’s effectiveness in combatting online child sexual abuse. We urge you to instruct Ofcom to urgently review and mitigate this blatant get-out clause.

“The publication of the codes also highlighted the weaknesses within the legislation itself.

“For example, the Act does not mandate companies to moderate content uploaded in private communications. As a result, illegal content that is blocked elsewhere on the internet can still be freely shared in private online spaces.

“We call on your Government to remove the safe harbour inadvertently offered to platforms – including those that facilitate the sharing of child sexual abuse material – by the Act.

“Additional legislation should be introduced to ensure there are no safe havens for criminals in private communications.”

In response, a spokesperson for online safety regulator Ofcom said: “The law says that measures in our codes of practice must be technically feasible.

“However, we expect the vast majority of platforms will be able to take content down and we will hold them to account if they don’t.

“There’ll be measures all platforms will need to take to protect children, such as reviewing child sexual abuse material when they become aware of it and reporting it to law enforcement.”

The IWF said that in 2024, the charity acted to remove images or videos of children suffering sexual abuse, or links to such content, from more than 291,000 webpages.

It said this was the highest number of such webpages it had discovered in its history.

The solutions are here, now. They aren’t pie-in-the-sky solutions for the future. They exist, and they are trusted. Big tech just needs to be instructed to switch them on

Derek Ray-Hill, IWF

Derek Ray-Hill, interim chief executive of the IWF said: “Ten years ago Keir Starmer, as director of public prosecutions, took a stand, giving the IWF unprecedented powers to proactively hunt down child sexual abuse imagery online.

“Now we need him to act decisively again. The new regulations we’ve all worked so hard to bring in threaten to leave gaping loopholes for criminals to exploit.

“The Online Safety Act can be revolutionary in protecting our children if the political and regulatory will is there. Or it can be a monument to ineffectiveness in the face of a solvable problem.

“The solutions are here, now. They aren’t pie-in-the-sky solutions for the future. They exist, and they are trusted. Big tech just needs to be instructed to switch them on.

“Sir Keir has it in his gift to take the wheel and make a real difference that children in the UK, and all around the world, will benefit from. It’s their safety that is at stake.”

A Government spokesperson said: “Child sexual exploitation and abuse is despicable and has a devastating impact on victims.

“UK law is clear – child sexual abuse is illegal and social media is no exception. Companies must ensure criminal activity cannot proliferate on their sites.

“From March, under the Online Safety Act, companies will need to take robust action to tackle this material when they become aware of it, training moderating teams to spot child exploitation, and testing whether their algorithms are promoting this material – putting safety by design into their products from the outset.

“If companies fail to act, Ofcom has robust enforcement powers including the ability to issue significant fines.

“This Government is committed to using all available levers, such as the Online Safety Act, to ensure children are protected online, and we will not hesitate to go further if necessary.”

By Press Association

More Technology News

See more More Technology News

Meta’s Orion glasses

Smart glasses will be future of computing, Meta executives say

A man in a hoodie in front of several computer monitors

Warning issued about social media and email account hacking after reports jump

Walton Aubrey Webson smiling, wearing grey suit jacket

Blind and partially sighted risk exclusion from AI revolution, diplomat warns

Apps on a mobile phone

Critics say Ofcom is too weak on illegal social media content as new rules start

Technology firms must tackle illegal content on their platforms under new rules, but there are concerns that the changes are too weak.

New Ofcom powers for online safety come into force as charities warn of 'major gaps' in legislation

Exclusive
Jordan Stephens, Rizzle Kicks star.

Rizzle Kicks star says children 'rely' on online communities for connection as he says 'boredom' to blame for rising crime

A message on an iPhone

Media denied entry to tribunal thought to be about Apple and Government data row

Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson (PA)

Disruptive phones have no place in schools, Education Secretary says

A finger hovering over a phone screen with the Facebook, Instagram and WhatsApp logos

Fact check: Hoax posts about killers and stabbings in local Facebook groups

A drone in the air with countryside behind

Drones used to sow tree seeds in scheme to restore lost South West rainforests

ASCL president Manny Botwe

Technology ‘being weaponised’ against schools and teachers – union leader

A woman using a laptop as she holds a bank card

Phishing campaign impersonating Booking.com targeting UK hospitality

Crypto regulation

NCA officer charged following alleged Bitcoin theft

Sir Keir Starmer walking out the door of 10 Downing Street carrying folders under his left arm

Starmer’s plans to shape up ‘flabby’ Civil Service could trigger union clash

A person holds an iphone showing the app for Google chrome search engine

Apple and Google browser dominance harming consumer choice, says watchdog

A. Lunar Eclipse, Red supermoon, Blood moon / 
on 28th September 2015.

Blood moon 2025: Rare lunar eclipse to be visible in the UK this week - here's how to see it