Report into Online Harms published
Scrutiny
7 November 2025
The Children, Education and Home Affairs Scrutiny Panel (CEHA) has published its report into what protections children in Jersey have from online harms, following an extensive review.The review’s main objective was to examine Jersey’s approach to online safety, with a particular focus on children and young people. Through extensive evidence gathering – including Public Hearings with Ministers and submissions from local stakeholders – the Panel has attempted to assess how the government is working to address potential harm to children and young people through online platforms and digital content and, also, how well children in Jersey are protected through existing legislation and policy.
During the review the Panel also gathered evidence on the role that education, family and culture plays in the protection of children against online harms, as well as what is considered good practice in other jurisdictions. The Panel found that while there is no universally accepted definition of “online harms,” consistent terminology is essential for effective policy development. Online risks are not experienced equally, and children who are vulnerable offline are often more exposed in digital spaces.
The Panel’s report has returned 63 findings and 38 recommendations for the government. Overall, the Panel found that Jersey’s current safeguards lag-behind those of comparable jurisdictions, particularly in areas such as age verification, platform accountability, and cross-border enforcement. While digital access offers significant educational and social benefits, the review has highlighted Jersey’s need for a coordinated, future-facing strategy that balances protection from harm with the preservation of digital rights.
In their report, the Panel highlighted six key findings and five key recommendations, which included concerns around the government’s reluctance to have the UK Online Safety Act extended to the Island, and that the lessons from the Jersey Care Inquiry have not been embedded into practice across the whole of government. Some of the core recommendations from the Panel’s report include the prioritisation of the development of a comprehensive online safety strategy, and that the government should conduct and publish a comprehensive gap analysis of existing legislation addressing online harms.
The Chair of Children, Education and Home Affairs Scrutiny Panel (CEHA), Deputy Catherine Curtis, said:
“I would like to thank everyone that we spoke to and engaged with us during this review. It has been a lengthy process to get where we are, but this is a fundamentally important piece of work that is more relevant now than ever.
“We have discovered a significant number of findings during this Review, and our report presents several crucial recommendations to government that we feel must be acted upon to protect our Island’s children now and into the future.
“Firstly, Jersey’s decision not to request a permissive extent clause (‘PEC’) for the U.K.’s Online Safety Act appears to have been made solely by the Minister for Sustainable Economic Development, without formal documentation, engagement with the Council of Ministers, States Assembly or Scrutiny. Jersey’s position diverges from that of Guernsey and the Isle of Man, both of which requested permissive extent clauses for the Online Safety Act, and the lack of process presents limited opportunities for democratic oversight and public accountability.
“We recommend that the Government of Jersey establish a formal process for considering PECs, including a requirement for Ministerial decisions and scrutiny. Additionally, a full assessment of the “umbrella effect” of U.K. and E.U. online safety legislation should be conducted and published to ensure transparency and inform future policy development.
“Secondly, while various Government policies touch on aspects of online safety, there is no overarching framework connecting them. The Government of Jersey should prioritise the development of a comprehensive online safety strategy, with a particular emphasis on safeguarding children. Such a strategy should be grounded in a rights-based framework, incorporate cross-government collaboration, be forward-looking, and capable of addressing current challenges while remaining adaptable to the evolving digital environment.
“Similarly, we are recommending the government could conduct – and publish – a comprehensive gap analysis of existing legislation addressing online harms, with particular attention to the range of types of harm currently covered. Legislative approaches should place greater accountability on digital platforms, ensuring their operations are guided by principles of safety and rights by design.
“Ultimately Jersey, despite its reputation as a safe environment, is not immune to global online threats, as evidenced by recent cases involving local children. Any strategy to tackle online harms and protect the safety of our children and young people, must reflect Jersey’s unique context while remaining informed by global standards and best practice”.
Read the report here.
All submissions made to the Panel as part of the Review can be found HERE.
Recordings of the Public Hearings can be watched back on the States Assembly website HERE.
Click here for the Panel’s review and the Terms of Reference,.
