NSPCC comment on national online safety action plan for Wales

Please see NSPCC Cymru / Wales’ response to today’s Welsh government announcement of a national online safety action plan for Wales.

It follows repeated calls from the NSPCC to create a comprehensive plan for Wales and the children’s charity is now calling for a working group made up of experts in the field to support its development.

Head of NSPCC Cymru / Wales, Des Mannion, said:

“NSPCC Cymru / Wales has long called for a comprehensive online safety action plan for Wales and we hope these measures will support professionals and parents to equip children and young people with the skills to stay safe on the web.

“On average one in three internet users is a child and their exposure to online pornography, hate, bullying and other harmful content is an ever-increasing and evolving problem. Preventing this material from reaching and damaging children is hugely important.

“It is now hugely important that an advisory group made up of experts from police, internet providers, education and child protection charities, is created to support this action plan – as has already taken place in Scotland and Northern Ireland.

“Online safety is one of the biggest risks facing children and young people today. Every government has a duty to address it, as does the industry itself.”