The AVPA gave evidence to a sub-committee of the UK Parliament’s DCMS Select Committee which is studying Online Harms and Disinformation.
We were first asked by Simon Jupp MP where the AVPA fits into the debate about the Online Safety Bill
He then asked us about the strengths and weaknesses of the Bill itself.
Next, we addressed whether Age Assurance systems are the only way to prevent services being accessed by children.
And then Mr Jupp asked about how to prevent circumvention of age assurance
We then followed Julie Dawson from Yoti to talk about standards and the need for Ofcom approved certification schemes.
Next to ask questions, John Nicholson MP was concerned about the use of geo-location when children are involved.
We then addressed in reply to Clive Efford MP, why platforms need now to step up and do their bit to help protect children online, given that other measures open to parents are nowhere near sufficient alone.
Alex Davies-Jones MP was concerned about the scope of the Bill, the current exclusion of pornographic websites, and the extreme and violent nature of their content.
We were pleased to assist the Committee in its work, as the UK Parliament sets the pace globally for legislation in the online world in which we increasingly conduct our day-to-day business.