In her letter, the MP urged the government to take urgent action to address the growing normalisation of extreme content among young people, and called for robust enforcement of new online safety measures.

Speaking on the issue, Carla Lockhart said:

“The findings shared by the head of Northern Ireland’s Safeguarding Board are deeply disturbing. That children, some as young as nine, are accessing pornographic material online and imitating violent sexual acts such as choking, raises the most serious questions about the effectiveness of current protections.

No child should be learning about relationships or consent through the lens of online pornography, yet that is the reality facing far too many families today. The fact that young pupils are approaching teachers with questions about violent sexual behaviour, and that teenagers have experienced such acts themselves, is a damning indictment of the online environment we are allowing to persist.

I have written to the Minister for Digital and Culture urging the immediate implementation and enforcement of ‘highly effective age assurance’ measures, as outlined by Ofcom. These must be non-negotiable for all social media and high-risk platforms, with meaningful penalties for companies that fail to comply including the full use of fines and potential blocking powers.

Online harms legislation must deliver more than good intentions. It must produce real, visible change that keeps our children safe. The safeguarding of young people must be paramount, and the government must act with the urgency and resolve this situation demands.”