March 04, 2026 - 211 views
Clwyd North MP Gill German has described the launch of a major new children’s online safety consultation as a breakthrough moment in a campaign she has long championed.
The UK Government consultation, launched by the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology, invites parents, carers, teachers and young people to share their views on proposals aimed at strengthening protections for children using social media, gaming platforms and AI chatbots.
Gill German said young people in her constituency would help shape the next phase of reform, after she spent months leading an online safety campaign with local schools to ensure their “lived experiences” inform national policy.
“With the Government launching this consultation, it’s crucial that young people’s real-world experiences are part of the national conversation,” she said. “Young people are the ones living this digital reality, their views on what works and what doesn’t online should shape policy, not be an afterthought.”
Among the measures under consideration are the introduction of a minimum age for social media use, mandatory overnight curfews for under-18s, and restrictions on potentially addictive design features such as infinite scrolling and autoplay. The Government is also seeking views on strengthening age-verification systems and improving digital education for both children and parents.
The three-month consultation closes on May 26, with a Government response expected later in the summer.
German said the process builds on the implementation of key provisions in the Online Safety Act 2023, which introduced tougher child-safety duties for tech companies and strengthened the powers of Ofcom to hold platforms to account.
Drawing on her background as a former teacher and Denbighshire Cabinet Member for Education, Children and Families, she has held forums with Year 10 and Year 12 pupils to gather first-hand insights into the risks teenagers face online. Initial sessions took place at Ysgol Glan Clwyd in St Asaph and Ysgol Eirias in Colwyn Bay, with further meetings planned this spring.
“As someone who has worked with young people my whole life, this is deeply personal to me,” she said. “Some of the biggest risks facing our children today are not visible, they’re happening online, on apps and devices, away from the adults who care about them. We need to hear directly from young people about what’s really going on, and we need to act on it.”
Earlier this year she circulated a constituency-wide survey asking pupils for their views on proposals including a social media age ban and other safety measures. Hundreds of responses have already been returned, covering concerns such as cyberbullying, harmful content, privacy and mental health impacts. German said the findings would form part of her formal submission to the consultation and inform her wider parliamentary work.
“These responses show just how seriously young people in Clwyd North take online safety,” she said. “Our communities should be proud that local young voices will help influence policy discussions in Westminster and across the UK.”
German is encouraging families, schools and young people across Clwyd North to take part in the consultation before the May deadline to ensure the next stage of online safety reform reflects the experiences of those living in an increasingly digital world.
