Child Online Harms Think Tank at House of Lords
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Published
01 July 2025
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The University of East London (UEL) has officially launched its pioneering Child Online Harms Policy Think Tank at the House of Lords, reinforcing the university’s position as a global leader in online safety research and policy innovation.
Led by Professor Julia Davidson OBE, an expert in child online protection and Director of UEL’s Institute for Connected Communities, the Think Tank brings together academics, policymakers, law enforcement, and industry leaders to shape urgent, evidence-based responses to one of the most complex challenges of our time: safeguarding children in an increasingly digital world.
The event featured thoughtful discussion and deep, insightful questions from leading voices across sectors, a clear signal of the urgency and complexity of the issue, and the need for collaborative, cross-disciplinary action.
“It’s incredibly important that we launch this initiative, now more than ever,” said Professor Davidson.
We’re working to bridge the critical gap between research and policy, ensuring that future digital policies are truly evidence-based. This work is urgently needed.
Children’s and young people’s behaviours online are increasingly shaped by harmful influences from cyberbullying and abuse to exposure to extreme violence and the misuse of technology. The risks are real, and growing. Addressing these challenges requires immediate, collaborative action across all sectors, from policymakers and researchers to children, parents, and technology platforms.
"UEL is taking an inspiration lead with rigorous research, policy innovation, and practical tools that prioritise children’s rights, wellbeing, and protection by design.”
Leading voices join UEL to tackle digital safety
The House of Lords event brought together experts in child online child protection and other eminent speakers, including:
- Baroness Glenys Thornton, Labour Peer and advocate for women’s and children’s rights
- Nina Jane Patel, founder of My Guardian Global and a metaverse safety specialist
- Professor Sam Wass, Director of UEL’s Institute for the Science of Early Years and Youth
- Robert Richardson, Senior Manager at the National Crime Agency
- Professor Amanda Broderick, Vice-Chancellor and President of the University of East London
It was also attended by representatives from: The National Crime Agency, HMPPS, OFCOM, Childnet, the NSPCC, Molly Rose Foundation and the DSIT.
“There’s still so much we don’t know about the effects of early and prolonged exposure to fast-paced, unpredictable screen content on developing brains, particularly since the widespread adoption of smartphones around 2010,” said Professor Sam Wass.
We’re seeing more and more children exposed at increasingly younger ages, and the potential impact on mental health is significant. Early exposure can overstimulate the brain stem, raising arousal levels and potentially contributing to long-term emotional and cognitive challenges but the research is still catching up. That’s why this work matters, we’re doing the research needed to find real answers.
UEL’s Child Online Harms Policy Think Tank is already making an impact. In response to its groundbreaking research, the Think Tank has launched the UK’s first-ever safety toolkit for protecting children in the metaverse, a practical guide for educators, families, and policymakers facing the fast-evolving risks of immersive digital spaces.
But the metaverse is just the beginning. The Think Tank is tackling some of the most urgent and under-addressed threats facing children today: how young people are drawn into cybercrime, the growing prevalence of online grooming and provocation, the emotional toll of harmful digital content, and the role of AI and platform design in fuelling risky behaviour.
While the Online Safety Act (2023) and Ofcom’s forthcoming Code of Practice (2025e) mark important steps, they don’t go far enough. Business models that prioritise clicks over child safety continue to dominate the digital landscape. The Think Tank is calling for bold, system-level reform, including:
- Design accountability – building platforms that are safe by default, not just moderated after harm occurs
- Global regulation – creating cross-border standards for enforcement and platform responsibility
- Balanced policy – ensuring online safety doesn’t come at the expense of access to learning, creativity, or digital participation
These insights and more are detailed in the newly released Child Online Harms Policy Think Tank Launch Report, which outlines the evidence, key findings, and next steps in shaping safer digital futures.
Read the full report using the link below (PDF).
A milestone in UEL’s Year of Health
The launch forms part of UEL’s Year of Health, a cross-university initiative exploring health and wellbeing across physical, mental, social, and now digital dimensions. As part of this mission, the new Think Tank will tackle a wide range of online risks facing children, including AI-generated abuse, immersive harms in the metaverse, online grooming, and youth exposure to violent and sexual content.
As an independent research and policy centre, the Child Online Harms Think Tank aims to influence global frameworks, develop practical tools, and advocate for policies that make platforms safe by default, not just after harm has occurred.
“Children are spending more time online, often without the knowledge or support to navigate the risks they face. Many cross legal or moral boundaries unknowingly, with real consequences for their wellbeing and their futures,” said Professor Amanda Broderick, Vice-Chancellor and President of the University of East London.
Our University’s mission is to tackle health and economic inequalities wherever they are found — today, that must include digital safety. The launch of this Think Tank builds on our global leadership in shaping online safety legislation and research. It also reflects how we must think again about the role universities play in today’s society — more than centres of education and research, universities are engines of policy, enterprise, and social change. By working across borders, disciplines, and sectors, we’re ensuring that our evidence-based insights help shape a safer, fairer digital future for the next generation."
For more information or to access the Think Tank, visit our Child Online Harms Policy Think Tank page.
