Tackling online safety together

Safer Internet Day this week provided an important opportunity to reflect on how we use technology - and how we ensure it is used safely. A particular focus this year has been Artificial Intelligence, something I believe has enormous potential and is already being used positively across many sectors. However, innovation must be matched with clear guidance, safeguards and accountability. Responsible use of emerging technology is not simply an issue for young people; it is a challenge for all of us as we learn to navigate this rapidly evolving digital landscape in an informed and secure way.

While AI has rightly attracted attention, the broader issue of online safety goes far beyond this single development. Increasingly, our lives are lived online and while the internet has transformed the way we live and work, it also brings significant and growing risks. These include as a portal for drug dealing, online exploitation - both sexual and criminal, grooming, fraud, gambling, exposure to harmful or age-inappropriate content, and harassment as well as mounting evidence of the mental health impact associated with excessive social media use.

These concerns are increasingly being discussed at a national level, with the government recently announcing a consultation on children’s social media use, including looking further at Australia’s under-16 social media ban. Growing evidence backed by experts shows the implications of excessive social media use on our young people, something I am also significantly concerned about. As Police and Crime Commissioner, my responsibility is not only to support enforcement, but to prioritise prevention. Addressing digital harm at source is essential if we are serious about safeguarding young people.

From a policing perspective, the reality is stark. Many cases involving child exploitation, online coercion, sextortion, knife crime, illegal drugs and harmful peer behaviour originate through personal devices and unsupervised access to social media platforms. Delaying access and potentially smartphone ownership is not about denying opportunity, it is about protecting childhood and creating environments where children can develop safely.

We are already seeing meaningful local action. In Bournemouth, a primary school and secondary school have been in the media reiterating their ban on smartphones in school and publicly aligning with the principles of the Smartphone Free Childhood movement, an initiative I fully support. The Smartphone Free Childhood movement encourages parents to delay providing smartphones and social media access for as long as possible. The evidence increasingly suggests that early, unrestricted access exposes children to risks they are not equipped for. I also strongly back Dorset Council’s move towards phone-free school days, helping children to focus, learn and remain safe. The council has issued guidance to schools and families on managing smartphone use beyond the school gates, including recommending basic brick mobile phones for parents who wish their children to be contactable during travel.

Alongside these local campaigns, I have also joined fellow Police and Crime Commissioners, MPs, charities, professionals and residents in signing a letter, led by Kent PCC Matthew Scott, calling on the Government to ban social media for under 16s and remove smartphones from schools.

The evidence base continues to grow. Heavy social media use has been linked to anxiety, depression, sleep disruption and exposure to harmful content. These platforms are engineered to maximise engagement not to safeguard child welfare. That imbalance requires a societal response. A recent STARS Dorset newsletter from my Office on digital violence highlighted the harms emerging not only on social media, but also within gaming platforms and virtual environments. These spaces can enable grooming, sexualised role play, coercion and the normalisation of harmful behaviours, blurring the boundaries between online and offline life. Adults must understand the environments young people inhabit online to help safeguard and discuss the risks with children in an informed way.

Ultimately, responsibility does not sit with one group alone. Parents, teachers, schools, police, policymakers and technology companies all have a role to play in shaping a safer digital environment. Childhood should not be dictated by algorithms. By acting early, proportionately and decisively, we can reduce harm, strengthen resilience and protect wellbeing. Together, we can ensure Dorset remains a safe place for children to grow up - both offline and online.

David Sidwick
Dorset Police and Crime Commissioner

• Contact Dorset Police via 101 or online if you have concerns about suspected illegal online activity.
• Adults can contact Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111, or young people can use Fearless.
• You can also contact the NSPCC helpline on 0808 800 5000