The Tech Secretary refused to apologise for saying Farage’s opposition to new online safety rules puts him on the side of predators – suggesting Reform UK are “wilfully misleading” the public about what the new rules do
Tech Secretary Peter Kyle has doubled-down on his attack on Nigel Farage, saying the Reform UK leader’s opposition to a new online safety crackdown puts him “on the side of predators.“
Writing for the Sunday Mirror, Mr Kyle said he’d never apologise for the remark, made earlier this week, “Because it’s true.”
And he revealed how the new law was already being used to prosecute online offenders.
New online safety protections for children came into force on July 25.
Since that date, so-called “risky” sites and apps have been expected to use age checks to identify which users are children and subsequently prevent them from accessing pornography, as well as other harmful content including self-harm, suicide, eating disorders and extreme violence.
Farage’s Reform UK party has vowed to scrap Online Safety Act if it ever gains power, claiming it was a threat to free speech.
And Farage has said Kyle’s comments about him were “absolutely appalling”.
Mr Kyle highlighted two cases where the new law had been used to prosecute and jail online offenders.
Last year, Nicholas Hawkes, 39, sent explicit photos of himself to a 15-year-old girl. He was convicted under the new offence of cyber-flashing and sentenced to 66 weeks in prison.
And Tyler Webb, 22, was the first to be charged with encouraging serious self-harm under the new act – and was sentenced to nine years and four months.
Webb used the messaging app Telegram to repeatedly tell a vulnerable 22-year-old woman to cut herself, then to kill herself by hanging during a video call so she could watch.
“Let me be clear about what the Act does not do,” Mr Kyle wrote.
“It does not stop adults from posting or seeing anything online as long as it’s legal and anyone who suggests that does not understand it or is willfully misleading.”
He added: “For years we fought for a safer internet for our children. I refuse to let anyone who is trying to use this issue for their own ends take that away.”
‘I won’t apologise, because it’s true’
Earlier this week Nigel Farage asked me to apologise for saying he was on the side of predators when he called for the Online Safety Act to be scrapped. But I won’t do that. Because it’s true.
Under this law a 39 year old man was prosecuted for the new offence of cyber flashing because he sent a photo of his erect penis to a 15-year-old girl.
These new categories of crimes are sadly necessary to combat crime in the modern world.
But beyond these crimes the law takes steps to make the internet a safer place for children.
If you’re a parent, ask yourself this – do I want my child to see graphic violence and sexual content? Do I want kids as young as five to see porn on social media? Do I want strangers to be able to message my children – or anyone else’s? And do I want them to be able to see my child’s location when they’re online?
This is what the act does – it stops children from seeing things that they should not see – and that we would not want them to in the offline world – porn, extreme violence, suicide and self harm content, images and words that encourage and glorify eating disorders.
But as well as blocking disturbing and upsetting images and messages from children’s feeds, it also cracks down on child sex abuse images and videos.
For the first time social media platforms have to detect and remove that horrific material which has shamefully lurked on the internet barely hidden from those sick enough to seek it out.
It also means practical steps to protect children from strangers who want to do them harm. It stipulates that children’s profiles and locations should be hidden to keep them safe by default. Because no adult should be able to message a child they do not know.
And let me be clear about what the Act does not do – It does not stop adults from posting or seeing anything online as long as it’s legal and anyone who suggests that does not understand it or is wilfully misleading.
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In my first week as Secretary of State I met with a group of bereaved families who have known the absolute worst of the internet. Some of those children were encouraged to kill themselves, others were egged on to do dangerous and ultimately fatal challenges and others still do not know exactly what role their child’s online role played in their deaths. I have been clear that not only did we collectively fail their children but that I would do what I could to stop such awful deaths in the future.
For years we fought for a safer internet for our children. I refuse to let anyone who is trying to use this issue for their own ends take that away.
This government has a Plan for Change to keep children safe both online and offline so that they can live happy and fulfilled lives.