LONDON, UK — A new poll reveals that nearly nine in ten (87%) adults are concerned about extreme violence circulating online following the Southport attacks, with mounting pressure on the government to take stronger action against harmful content.
More than four in five (83%) parents support a personal pledge from Labour leader Keir Starmer to improve online safety for children if he becomes Prime Minister. Additionally, an overwhelming majority of adults (91%) expressed concerns about the online grooming of children leading to self-harm and suicide.
The Molly Rose Foundation (MRF), which conducted the survey, has called on Prime Minister Rishi Sunak to intervene urgently to prevent more “preventable tragedies.” Named after 14-year-old Molly Russell, who took her own life due to online harms, the suicide prevention charity has warned that media regulator Ofcom is taking too long to enforce the Online Safety Act.
The act, which was passed into law in October 2023 after years of parliamentary debate, is yet to be fully implemented. Ofcom has not exercised its new powers, and its final regulatory code is not expected until later this year, told the Mirror.
According to the poll, 85% of parents would support an updated Online Safety Act with stronger protections for children. However, public confidence in authorities remains low—only 9% believe Ofcom is doing enough to protect children, 8% think the government is taking sufficient action, and just 6% feel social media platforms are playing their part.
Concerns over online content have been heightened following the case of 18-year-old Axel Rudakubana, who viewed violent videos online moments before murdering three children in Southport last July. Despite pleas, social media companies have yet to remove the content.
Andy Burrows, chief executive of the Molly Rose Foundation, emphasized the growing risks posed by online radicalization.
“Online threats propelled by fluid ideologies have been thrust into the spotlight after the Southport killings and are driving deeply disturbing new trends, including children being groomed by online groups into acts of self-harm and even suicide,” Burrows said.
“In the face of such appalling risks, it beggars belief that Ofcom has failed to introduce any targeted measures to address suicide and self-harm offenses. The Prime Minister must now intervene with tough legislation that stops more inherently preventable tragedies and that treats this threat with the urgency it deserves.”
The poll, conducted by YouGov on behalf of the MRF, surveyed 2,275 adults between February 4 and 5, underscoring the urgency of stricter online safety regulations.
