Jersey must create its own laws to protect children from online harm instead of copying the UK’s approach, the Economic Development Minister has said.
Deputy Kirsten Morel argued that adopting the UK’s new Online Safety Act would be “unworkable” and leave the island relying on outside regulators.
He made the comments during a public hearing with the Children, Education and Home Affairs Scrutiny Panel on Friday, where he and Assistant Minister Deputy Moz Scott were questioned on what the Government is doing to safeguard young people online.
Deputy Morel described the UK’s Act, which aims to prevent young people from encountering the most harmful content relating to suicide, self-harm, eating disorders and pornography, as “a 300-page tick box exercise” and “overly complex.”
“It was always going to be unworkable,” he told the panel.
“But it would make the government of the times feel good that it was doing something to supposedly protect children.”
The Economic Development Minister continued: “I still stand by that decision that the best thing Jersey can do is create its own laws that are the right scale to Jersey and use its own powers to protect children from harm online.”
He said adopting UK legislation would amount to “outsourcing our online protection,” effectively handing over responsibility for regulating online content..
Instead, he pointed to Jersey laws already in place, such as data protection, child protection, and telecommunications legislation, which offer legal tools to respond to harmful online content.
The hearing was part of a broader review seeking to examine Government efforts and the role of legislation, education, family, and culture in keeping young people safe online.
