The online harms world is a challenging one, where most parties, we are sure, would agree that it is important that citizens can engage with online platforms and discourses in a manner that mitigates harm and does not expose them to abuse. However, how we achieve this is complex and many stakeholders have conflicting viewpoints. These range from the prohibitive (“Harms occur on platforms, therefore platforms need to stop it”) to the progressive (“Harms are caused by people, how do we reduce them by being mindful of people’s right to participate free from excessive surveillance?”). There are many views that fit between these two positions. However, it is unquestionable that these perspectives all wish to achieve the same goal – that people, particularly young people, can experience the online world while not being harmed.
The ‘High-Level Working Group for Privacy & Safety’ aims to advocate for a holistic, person-centred approach to online safeguarding that respects people’s rights to online participation and to their privacy.
Convened by Prof Andy Phippen and Prof Emma Bond, the Working Group intends to drive discussions where central concepts such as harm, risk, vulnerability, well-being, and the best interest of the child are addressed in a nuanced and contextual manner to move conversations on from the traditional prohibitive narratives that beset the online harms work. In convening this group, Andy Phippen and Emma Bond, who collectively have 40 years’ experience working in this area, are hoping to develop a more inclusive and progressive narrative that moves from “someone needs to stop this” to “what can we all do to make online experiences more inclusive while understanding and reducing harm”. Current political narratives generally centre around how platforms can reduce or eliminate harms, with little consideration of other stakeholders that might be better placed to mitigate these risks.