Asked whether Labour would consider a ban on social media for under-16s, Mr Kyle told the BBC’s Sunday with Laura Kuenssberg: “I’m open-minded about how we go forward with this.
“I’m already in discussion with bereaved families who have lost children to the impact of social media, or that social media has had an aggravating factor in the loss of life and the harm that’s done to them.
“But what we need to do is we’ve got to make sure that all the powers that already exist are in place as quickly as possible. The instructions that are going to come out of Ofcom as a result of the Online Safety Act aren’t going to go live until the end of this year… We need to get a grip on the challenge that we have right here.”
He also called on Ofcom, the regulator, to do more to combat the dark web, adding that If Labour came to power he would have the power to urge the regulator to “prioritise looking at certain issues”.
“I think the role of the dark web, the pathway in particular that people take from social media into the dark web, is something Ofcom could be looking at,” he said.
In her first interview since Jenkinson and Ratcliffe were sentenced, Brianna’s mother told the same programme she was prepared to meet Jenkinson’s family and did not “carry any hate” for her daughter’s killers but was unable to forgive them.
William Turner is a seasoned U.K. correspondent with a deep understanding of domestic affairs. With a passion for British politics and culture, he provides insightful analysis and comprehensive coverage of events within the United Kingdom.
