Speeches by Irons.

“I am an MP in Croydon, and the red versus blue trend had a significant impact on some local schools. One school had a lot of children in one year who did not turn up because they were so afraid of what was going to happen. I appreciate that this is about content on your platform. You are very clear that you do not want…”

“So you are outsourcing that to us to decide where we will draw that line for you. Will you be able to produce the data that we need to make those decisions in the best possible way?”

“Just so you are aware, your content is on the non-logged-in bit as well. If you go on to just the website, which is next to the slop and next to whatever else it may be, it is also there. The point that we are trying to make, I feel, is that broadcasters are jumping through hoops and doing the right thing when it comes…”

“How do we help, basically?”

“We have already touched a bit on the social media consultation, but the other side of this coin is the benefits of social media, and the benefits of content on social media. You talked about educational things. We are thinking about things like public service broadcasters, given that we, as the public, have all paid fo…”

“Does that cost the BBC more money to use?”

“On YouTube.”

“I will declare some interests: I worked at Channel 4 before becoming an MP, and I have two small children who have watched a lot of Milkshake!—thank you so much for your service. It is a really lovely thing. I am going to ask some questions about YouTube and video sharing platforms, and about prominence and what that m…”

“So it is not economically viable to be using YouTube. It is more of a marketing tool.”

“Ian, in your written evidence, Sky asked that any new prominence regime covers public service content more broadly, rather than only content from PSBs. Sky is behind a paywall, so why would we pass legislation to protect your income, basically?”

“Obviously, they have just been involved in a quite high-profile legal case in which they were found to have created a platform that is intentionally addictive to young people. Are you comfortable with your content being on a platform that is intentionally addictive?”

“Your content isn’t, but the platform that you put it on has been found to be so. Your walled garden of Sky Kids on Sky—your Sky platforms—I am sure has been created to the highest possible standards, but whether you are using it as a marketing tool or not, the content is on a platform that has been found to be intentio…”

“Are your platforms safe for children aged 13 and above?”

“On a broader point around video sharing platforms, you have both spoken passionately about the importance of high-quality content and what goes into making the programmes that you make. We have heard Milkshake! described as a safe space for parents and children on the linear schedule. Do you think that video sharing pl…”

“Are your platforms safe for children aged 13 and above?”

“On a broader point around video sharing platforms, you have both spoken passionately about the importance of high-quality content and what goes into making the programmes that you make. We have heard Milkshake! described as a safe space for parents and children on the linear schedule. Do you think that video sharing pl…”

“The point I am making is that although where you can control things, you are producing these things to the highest possible safety standards, you are being encouraged to put more content on to a place that you do not control and has been found to have been designed to be intentionally addictive. Do you think that the G…”

“I guess the question is—and it is for Meta as well; thank you for being here, and I am not trying to ignore you—who is responsible for content on your platforms? I appreciate that they are user-to-user generated, but even if it is participation videos showing that and helping to stoke and encourage others to join in, o…”

“There is a lot of talk, especially around children’s content—and when we talk about children, we are talking about 13-year-olds for your platform. Especially when it comes to things like YouTube, in the context of a framework for what we consider high-quality content, we have picked up in this inquiry that there are a …”

“Then you should have the figure, shouldn’t you?”