The Middle Tech Coalition shares the Government’s ambition to keep children safe online. Our members have worked with the Government and Ofcom to support delivery of the Online Safety Act (OSA). This is a comprehensive, risk-based piece of legislation designed to protect young users that is still in the process of being implemented.

A rushed, horizontal ban would depart from the OSA’s established risk-based framework. We are concerned about the speed of decision-making, particularly coming so soon after a consultation that received over 100,000 responses. This concern is shared by a variety of child safety groups who have also raised objections to a blanket restriction due to the risk of unintended consequences. There is not a settled evidence base for broad age-based or functionality-based restrictions, while similar services and features can carry very different levels of risk depending on their context, design, audience and purpose. Future measures and definitions must reflect this reality.

Middle tech firms play an important role in growth, competition and innovation. To protect this, digital regulation must remain proportionate and carefully targeted. Avoiding 'one-size-fits-all' interventions is critical. Otherwise, new rules risk inadvertently favouring the largest platforms that possess the most regulatory resources. We look forward to working with the government on these policies to support a diverse and thriving digital economy.