WE ALL have a responsibility in keeping young people safe online and offline – that’s the challenge made by the Bishop of Reading.
The Rt Revd Olivia Graham is backing Reading East MP Matt Rodda’s campaign to see action in the wake of the death of Emmer Green teenager Olly Stephens.
Last week, Mr Rodda told the House of Commons about Olly during a debate on the problems caused by knife crime and the use of social media by youngsters.
“He was killed in a most brutal attack, a knifing, in a park where he was lured through social media,” Mr Rodda told the chamber.
“He was just 13 when he died, and he had his whole life ahead of him. He was a livewire at school and a likable boy. It is simply impossible to imagine what his parents and his family are going through.”
Since Olly’s death a year ago, his parents, Stuart and Amanda Stephens have campaigned to raise awareness of knife crime and its connection between it and social media.
“The background to the attack and the way in which it involved social media is very clear and quite shocking,” Mr Rodda said, adding that the killers were using 11 different social media platforms, “sharing images of knives”.
“Imagine teenagers flicking and playing with knives in their bedroom, videoing it and putting that shocking content up on social media. None of those 11 platforms took down that content. That is the level we are talking about, which is why I urge the Minister particularly to address the connection between knife crime and social media.”
He added: “I call for action from the Government on behalf of Olly’s parents and on behalf of the local community in Reading and Woodley.”
Social media companies should, he added, co-operate with the police, saying in Olly’s case it was possible this did not happen.
“I therefore ask the Minister also to ensure that companies operating in the UK are regulated in the UK, so that we can protect our young people from this dreadful form of crime.”
Damian Collins, the government minister behind the draft online safety bill, thanked Mr Rodda for his contribution, adding: “We know ourselves, from our personal experience and the experience of our constituents, why it is necessary for legislation on this.”
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Afterwards, Bishop Olivia echoed her support for the Stephens and their campaign.
“Our young people have a lot on their plates, and the pressure and power exerted by social media is constant,” she said.
“They are connected 24 hours a day with no hiding place, subject to a constant stream of all kinds of unregulated content and messaging.
“This is something we will all live with increasingly as the online world and technology develop and integrate into more areas of our daily lives.
“Managing it and its use by young people and children appropriately is crucial but is a big challenge.
“Every day our children are exposed to harmful content, which has a significant negative impact on their mental health. Both the Online Safety Bill and Age Assurance Bill, currently making their passage through parliament, will be really important in tackling these issues and holding social media platforms to account for the harms they enable and that which their algorithms can promote.”
She added: “Our young people deserve to be safe in both the online and offline worlds. We all have a responsibility in this. As well as legislative change and increased funding for crucial support services, we need to work together in our homes and communities across the whole of society to support our young people who are living in these dangerous and difficult times. They are the adults of tomorrow. We must not fail them.”
