The UK’s internet safety laws are “very uneven” and “unsatisfactory,” according to Technology Secretary Peter Kyle. His remarks follow calls from campaigners to strengthen regulations aimed

at protecting online users.

On Saturday, Ian Russell, the father of Molly Russell—a 14-year-old who took her life after exposure to harmful online content—criticized the current state of internet safety in the UK, stating the country was “going backwards” in addressing the issue. In a letter to Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, Russell urged for amendments to the Online Safety Act, calling for a “duty of care” to be imposed on tech firms.

Kyle, speaking with BBC’s Laura Kuenssberg, expressed frustration over the legislation, which was enacted by the previous Conservative government in 2023. Initially, the bill included provisions requiring social media platforms to remove “legal-but-harmful” content, such as posts promoting eating disorders. However, backlash from critics, including current Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch, led to these provisions being removed for adult users. Badenoch, then not a minister, argued in July 2022 that the bill was not “fit to become law” and warned against legislating for “hurt feelings.” Similarly, Conservative MP David Davis criticized the proposal, calling it a potential “accidental curtailment of free speech.”

Instead, the final version of the law requires platforms to offer users more control over filtering content they wish to avoid while maintaining obligations to protect children from harmful material. Addressing these changes, Kyle noted, “I inherited a landscape where we have a very uneven, unsatisfactory legislative settlement.” Though he did not commit to immediate legislative changes, he indicated an open-minded approach to future improvements. Photo by mikemacmarketing, Wikimedia commons.