Online Harms review enters next phase
Scrutiny
18 July 2025
The Children, Education and Home Affairs Scrutiny Panel has concluded gathering evidence as part of its Review into the protections children in Jersey have from online harms and will begin producing its report.Six Public Hearings have been held as part of the Review with the Minister for Children and Families, Connétable Richard Vibert, the Minister for Education and Lifelong Learning, Deputy Rob Ward, the Minister for Justice and Home Affairs, Deputy Mary Le Hegarat and the Minister for Sustainable Economic Development, Deputy Kirsten Morel as well as the Information Commissioner. The final Public Hearing was held yesterday morning with the Children’s Commissioner. The Panel has also received a number of submissions from key stakeholders and members of the public.
The Review has sought to establish what is considered good practice with regards to the safeguarding of children within the digital world and to consider Jersey’s position within this. Of particular interest to the Panel has been the current legislation Jersey has in place, how a small jurisdiction like Jersey can fit into national and international online safety measures and the role of large digital providers in protecting children.
Since launching the Review in February, several Government policies have been introduced – most notably the ban on mobile phones in schools.
Chair of the Panel, Deputy Catherine Curtis, said: ‘We would like to thank all individuals, ministers and organisations who have contributed valuable insight into this important and timely work.
‘The contributions we have received have helped highlight both the progress that has been made and the significant challenges that remain in keeping children safe online. Key themes that have emerged include the growing risk of exposure to harmful content on social media platforms, the need for better digital literacy education both in and out of school and the use of mobile phones.
‘Our next steps will involve analysing the evidence received in detail and preparing a report with clear, actionable recommendations. This report will be published later this year and will aim to support policymakers in strengthening safeguards and ensuring children in Jersey are equipped to navigate the digital world safely.’
The Panel is aiming to release its final report, with recommendations for Government, in September. Click here for more information about the Panel’s review and the Terms of Reference.
