Question
I welcome these measures. Parents and teachers have called for them. This is the right thing to do. The Facebook whistleblower Sarah Wynn-Williams said that Meta would target teenage girls who deleted selfies with advertising for beauty products, skincare and even cosmetic procedures, monetising their insecurity. Tech giants have repeatedly shown that they will not regulate themselves. Is the Minister having conversations with the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport to ensure that algorithms are regulated to protect our kids?
Answer
I thank my hon. Friend for the question. I am familiar with Sarah Wynn-Williams’s book and the claims made in it, which are extremely serious. The Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport is concerned about the need for the public square, which we find now to be largely online, to reflect the British values we have in everyday life. She is personally passionate about that, and that approach is shaping her attitude towards the forthcoming social media ban.50% vibes
Verdict: RED (20/100)
The reply only partly addressed the question. It described the Secretary of State's general concern about online public discourse and her personal interest in the issue, but it did not describe the Minister's own engagement with her, such as meetings or joint work. Its only reference to concrete action was a vague mention of the forthcoming social media ban, with no specific measures on algorithms or children. The answer is largely hedged, so a member of the public would likely need to ask again for specifics.
How we got there
| Question item | Coverage | Specificity | Rationale |
|---|---|---|---|
| What is the nature of the Minister's engagement with the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport on regulating algorithms to protect children? | Partially Addressed | Hedged | The reply describes the Secretary of State's general concern about online public discourse and her personal passion for the issue, which gestures at the topic of the engagement. It never describes the Minister's own engagement with her (for example, meetings, discussions, or joint work) and does not name any concrete mechanism on algorithms or children beyond a vague reference to the forthcoming social media ban. |