Part of the debate – in the Senedd at 7:03 pm on 30 November 2022.
NSPCC Wales have been clear that 200 and more children will suffer sexual abuse online for every month that the Online Safety Bill is delayed. Things change so quickly in this area, and it's impossible for us to safeguard children entirely, but I am very concerned to see the changes, with Twitter now also making redundant staff who have been working specifically in this area. We can see with any platform that changes can happen very quickly. So, of course, there is a very serious element for us in terms of the Welsh Government to look at the implications and the things that we want to see and can support here in Wales, but there is a duty on the UK Government to bring this Bill forward, to reconsider the elements that would strengthen and safeguard children, and we need to do that urgently, because the statistics do show clearly that this is having an impact on children and young people. We have to take action now.