Alliance Education Spokesperson Michelle Guy MLA has spearheaded the establishment of a new cross-party Assembly group dedicated to improving the online safety of children and young people in Northern Ireland. Working in partnership with the NSPCC, the All Party Group (APG) aims to create a more secure digital environment for the region's youth.

The APG will comprise representatives from a broad spectrum of political parties. Crucially, it plans to hear directly from young people, their families, and experts on the specific harms children face online in Northern Ireland and explore effective strategies to address these challenges.

The group is set for its official launch at an event in September 2025.

Michelle Guy, the Lagan Valley MLA, and a parent herself, stated: "As a parent, I know first-hand the importance of ensuring our children and young people are safe online. I wanted to bring MLAs together to hear what more needs to be done in a local context, and importantly start to act through policy and legislation." Guy highlighted the widespread concern among various stakeholders: "When I'm talking to parents, carers, teachers, children and young people, the issue of online safety comes up time and time again. Whether it be concerns about the impact of social media, online gaming, bullying and harassment, radicalisation, sexual exploitation, blackmailing, mental health and education, the issues are broad and complex and require cross-party action."

She expressed delight at the NSPCC's involvement, noting their expertise will be invaluable. "I'm delighted that the NSPCC will be partnering with the APG, taking on the role of secretariat. Their influence and expertise across these islands will be invaluable in driving engagement."

Ms Guy encouraged public participation: "I'd encourage anyone with an interest in this area to get in touch with the APG. We'd particularly like to hear from children and young people about their experiences online, the harms they have faced and what we as policy makers should be focused on."

Déarbhla Sloan from NSPCC reiterated the charity's commitment: "It is vital that we see greater prioritisation of the safety of our children online. We believe that proactive and timely measures must be urgently taken to respond to the increased online risks children are facing. We are delighted to be able to support the newly formed All Party Group on Online Safety for Children and Young People and look forward to working with the APG members, and other stakeholders, on this important matter."