Department for Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT) launches ‘You Won’t Know Until You Ask’ campaign
Today, the UK government is launching a new campaign to encourage parents to talk to their children about toxic online content. It will address such matters as misinformation and harmful content such as body-shaming, rage bait and misogyny.
Photo by Ludovic Toinel / Unsplash
New guidance also aims to support parents in establishing safety settings on social media, as well as providing conversation prompts and age-appropriate advice. The launch coincides with Safer Internet Day.
DSIT says the campaign is a direct response to calls from parents for support in navigating their children’s use of social media, when 90% of 11 year-olds now own a smartphone. Despite this, more than half (52.2%) of parents have never spoken to their children about their online experience. That’s according to the government-commissioned research, the Media Literacy Parent’s study, also released today.
The new, free-to-access Help Your Child Stay Safe Online hub encourages parents to explore the internet with their children, asking open questions such as, ‘How does this post make you feel?’, ‘Who shared this content?’ and ‘Why do you think they posted it?’ The emphasis is on building critical thinking.
One aspect of the campaign is a focus on boys, as evidence shows that boys are particularly at risk of being algorithmically served misogynistic and harmful content, often without seeking it out.
The new campaign has been developed with expert organisations including Parent Zone and Internet Matters. A pilot programme of marketing activity, including TV advertisements and social media content on Facebook, Instagram and TikTok, will launch in Yorkshire and the Midlands on February 16 before being rolled out more widely.
Liz Kendall MP, Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, says: ‘I know many parents are worried about what their children see and do online – often out of sight, and at times beyond their control. We’re launching a new campaign to support parents and give them practical tools to have regular, open conversations with their children about what they see and how they interact online.
‘We are determined to give children the childhood they deserve and prepare them for the future. That is why we are supporting parents with this campaign and launching a consultation on how young people can live and thrive in the age of social media.’
Dr Kaitlyn Regehr, Associate Professor of Digital Humanities at UCL, adds, ‘Solving this issue requires a multi-pronged approach: regulation, moderation and education. This education-focussed campaign seeks to empower parents and supports collective communication over isolation, ultimately resulting in more intentional choices about screen usage.’
Vicki Shotbolt, CEO of ParentZone, says: ‘We understand how challenging it can be for parents to try to navigate a really complex digital world with their children. The most effective way to do it is with a combination of age appropriate boundaries, user empowerment tools and ongoing, open communication. That’s why this campaign to encourage regular, open conversations is so important.’
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