Don’t risk child safety for US trade deal, PM is urged

Vance allies say he wants Online Safety Act to be blocked

- DAVID MADDOX and HARRIETTE BOUCHER

Sir Keir Starmer has been warned that giving in to US demands over free speech to secure a trade deal will harm children.

The concerns have been raised after allies of vice-president JD Vance told The Independent that he wants the UK to repeal hate speech laws and ditch plans for a new online safety law in exchange for a trade deal that could see the UK avoid tariffs.

He has previously claimed that free speech is being undermined by laws banning hateful comments, including abuse targeting LGBT+ groups or other minorities, and sees UK legislation aimed at improving online safety as an attack on US tech giants.

Both the National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children (NSPCC) and the think tank The Centre for Social Justice (CSJ) have highlighted concerns over any retreat by Labour on either area.

Matthew Sowemimo, associate head of policy for child safety online at the NSPCC, said: “The Online Safety Act offers a foundation that we believe will vastly improve children’s experiences online. For too long, too many children and young people have been exposed to harmful content, groomed, harassed, and bullied online.

“To ensure this vital legislation reaches its potential, we need the UK government to ensure the Online Safety Act is strongly implemented and bolstered where needed. They must be holding Ofcom and tech companies to account, and ensuring the act has enough weight behind it to change the tide for children’s safety online.”