Skip to content
University of East London
  • Staff login
  • Student login
  • Study

    Study

    Site Navigation - Quick Links

    • Why UEL?
    • Undergraduate prospectus
    • Postgraduate prospectus
    • Sport at UEL

    Undergraduate study

    View all of our undergraduate subjects.

    Explore now
    • Undergraduate

      Find an undergraduate course that will prepare you for the jobs of the future

    • Postgraduate

      Study with us, find the most suitable postgraduate course for you

    • May starts

      Many of our postgraduate courses also have May intakes.

    • Term dates

      View our academic calendars

    • Apprenticeships

      Find out what courses allow you to earn while you learn

    • Subjects

      Our courses are designed in partnership with employers, browse our subject areas

    • Fees and funding

      Find out about fees and funding and how to find advice and support

    • Accommodation

      We offer convenient, comfortable and secure accommodation

    • Student life

      Find out what it's like to be a student here

    • Current students

      Helpful links and resources for our existing students

    • New students

      If you’re joining UEL, here’s all you need to get started.

    • Pre-Entry and Short Courses

      Find out what options are available to you if you don't have the qualifications normally expected for university entry

    • Open Days and tours

      Explore UEL at our Open Days and virtual events

  • International

    International

    Site Navigation - Quick Links

    • Why UEL?
    • Undergraduate prospectus
    • Postgraduate prospectus
    • Sport at UEL

    Virtual Open Events

    Need support during your admission journey?

    Attend our virtual events
    • Regions

      Read tailored application advice for your region of the world

    • UEL webinars

      Book open events, subject based webinars and much more!

    • Malvern House pathway programmes

      Discover our range of pre-degree pathway courses for international students

    • Pre-sessional English

      Join this online programme to gain the level of English language skills necessary to study at UEL

    • Transferring to UEL

      It may be possible to transfer to UEL from your current university, explore your options

    • Immigration advice and compliance

      Get free and confidential advice and information on immigration and related issues

  • Your Career

    Your Career

    Site Navigation - Quick Links

    • Why UEL?
    • Undergraduate prospectus
    • Postgraduate prospectus
    • Sport at UEL

    Are you an employer?

    Advertise a vacancy on our platform today.

    Get started
    • Career Zone

      Use our digital platform to access resources to help start your career

    • Explore your career

      Use our EMSI Career Coach tool to help you find a job with your degree

    • Be your own boss

      Find out how our Student Enterprise team can help you develop your business venture

    • Meet employers

      Meet potential employers on-campus and online. Join our many career events

    • Career coaching and mentoring

      We offer employability support during your UEL journey. Learn about how we can help you

    • Volunteering

      We offer opportunities to develop transferable skills through volunteering. Find out more!

    • Work while you study

      Get work experience while you study. See available options

  • Partners

    Partners

    Site Navigation - Quick Links

    • Why UEL?
    • Undergraduate prospectus
    • Postgraduate prospectus
    • Sport at UEL

    Are you an employer?

    Advertise a vacancy on our platform today.

    Get started
    • Talent Gateway

      We are your gateway for academic, business and workforce development partnerships at UEL

    • Develop your workforce

      We offer a portfolio of courses that help you future-proof your workforce for Industry 4.0

    • Give back

      Help us prepare the next generation of workforce to be career ready

    • Work with our students

      We offer employers opportunities to engage with our young talent. Learn more!

  • Our Research

    Our Research

    Site Navigation - Quick Links

    • Why UEL?
    • Undergraduate prospectus
    • Postgraduate prospectus
    • Sport at UEL

    REF 2021

    Read about our Research Excellence Framework submissions and results

    Impact case studies
    • Postgraduate research students

      We offer a supportive postgraduate research and study environment

    • Research impact

      Read about how our research has made a difference

    • Partnerships

      Our researchers work with a variety of organisations, providing support, resources and knowledge transfer

    • REF 2021

      Read about our Research Excellence Framework submissions and results

  • About

    About

    Site Navigation - Quick Links

    • Why UEL?
    • Undergraduate prospectus
    • Postgraduate prospectus
    • Sport at UEL

    Connected campus

    We are improving our three campuses for people to study, work and live.

    What we're doing
    • Location

      East London is a cultural, commercial and financial hub. Find out more!

    • Events

      Find and book the latest events including open days and campus tours

    • News

      Read our latest news and general updates

    • Alumni

      Keep up with our news and offers by updating your details now

    • How we teach

      Read about our personalised, flexible approach that takes account of your career-readiness

    • Mental wealth

      Our Professional Fitness & Mental Wealth programme sits at the heart of every course we offer

    • Our Schools

      Explore the six Schools across the University

    • Contact us

      Find useful numbers and links to contact the right person for your query

    • Finding us

      We're based in Stratford and London Docklands. Learn more about our two superb campuses and get directions.

    • Governance

      Find out about governance, the Board, legal information and compliance, and quality assurance

    • Vision 2028

      An impactful, future-focused, careers-led university

    • Professional services

      UEL offers various professional services to students, staff and alumni. Find out what we have on offer

    • Nursery

      We provide opportunities for children to learn through play. Find out how to book a place for your child

    • Sustainable Development Goals

      Discover how we are responding to the United Nations' urgent call to action for a better world

    • Staff

      Helpful links and resources for our existing staff

    • Accreditations

      We work with a wide range of accreditation bodies to ensure that our courses and services are at the highest standards possible.

    • Never not

      UEL is Never Not Pushing Forward. Learn how our University maintains a forward-thinking mindset.

    • Virtual hub

      Our programme of virtual events has something for everyone. Discover upcoming events and information sessions.

    • Sustainability

      UEL's strives to be the most sustainable university in London. Find out more

    • Cookies and Cookies Notice

  • Home
  • Our research
  • Research impact UEL

Think of the Children; Safeguarding Children Online From Harm (REF 2021)

Hero Carousel

Refugee children hugging 960 x 518

REF 2021 impact case study, Professor Julia Davidson, Director of the Institute of Connected Communities.

In summary

As children go online, strategies must be developed to make sure that their online interactions are safeguarded. Research, led by Professor Davidson, addresses major social issues and has driven, influenced and improved national and international policy, industry, and practice. This research has led to several impacts including: influencing online harm policies, internet service regulation and the development of the UK Safety Tech Sector; and development of a child online protection policy and five-year implementation plan in Rwanda. The key beneficiaries are young people, vulnerable children and agencies working to protect them from online harm, UK and international policy makers in the area of online harms.

Play

Think of the children: Safeguarding children online from harm

Hear from Professor Julia Davidson OBE

 

What did we explore and how?

While the  safe  and creative use of digital technologies offers children previously unimaginable opportunities, there is a growing understanding of the risks and harms to children associated with its use.  Davidson's research has focused on child and adult online harms  exploring offending behaviour including online grooming; child and adult online behaviour and safety; legislation and policy at national and international level;  policing and industry practice in the prevention of online  harms.  

A Child Online Protection (COP) policy and five-year plan was implemented in Rwanda following extensive research and analysis in collaboration with Baroness Beeban Kidron (5Rights Foundation), supported by an understanding of child and adult online harms there. Professor Davidson helped deliver training following implementation of the plan.

Professor Davidson is the chair of the UK Council for Internet Safety (UKCIS) Evidence Group.  She is also chair of the Independent Inquiry into Institutional Child Sexual Abuse Research Ethics Committee and a member of the Europol Cybercrime Centre Expert Academic Advisory Group. Professor Davidson has undertaken two reviews that have informed recent government policy in this area. The first review undertaken in 2017 informed the government Green Paper on Internet Safety and the most recent review is the first of its kind and contributed to the government Online Harms White Paper.

Findings from recent research on adult harms suggest that: 

  1. The majority of adults experience some form of online hate and many  experience  online harassment. Online harassment encompasses a broad spectrum of abusive behaviours enabled by technology platforms and used to target a specific user or users .
  2. Online harassment can have a lasting impact on those who are victimised, ranging  from mental or emotional stress to financial loss and in some cases difficulty in securing employment and housing  .

What is the impact of this research?

The child online protection policy and plan were adopted in 2019 by the Rwandan government across key areas including: health; criminal justice; education; industry; civil society and in the community. A national awareness raising campaign was designed to be rolled out through community networks and schools in 2019.

The work is being continued in a newly formed Youth Safeguarding Network in Rwanda, Sierra Leone, Zambia and South Africa funded through the Global Challenges Research Fund.

The project also included the design of a COP educational module, that was incorporated into the University of Rwanda (UoR) undergraduate community programme from 2020, ensuring that all undergraduate students trained at the university will have awareness of COP issues.

Professor Davidson has been key in delivering the ICC's research for the UK government's new online safety bill which is in the final stages of hearings; and was read in the Queen's Speech on Tuesday 10 May. She is one of the first academics to evaluate the UK's new online safety technology or "SafetyTech" sector.

This research has been developed further in a study,  funded by the Department of Culture, Media and Sport, exploring the role and significance of the UK safety technology sector. Professor Davidson contributed to this study which highlights significant growth within the sector, with the number of dedicated online safety firms doubling in the last five years and investment increasing more than eight-fold in 2019. Findings indicate that  UK safety tech providers currently hold an estimated 25 per cent of the global market share and the number of dedicated safety tech firms has doubled in the last five years. In 2019, the sector generated £226 million in annual revenues, and has grown rapidly.

In response to the report's recommendations, and to capitalise on the sector's success the government announced the following initiatives:  

  1. A Safety Tech Innovation Network  launched in 2020. The world's first forum for safety tech providers .
  2. A  virtual safety tech expo to showcase safety tech to the world.
  3. A safety tech export pilot, run by the Department for  International Trade, to include a directory of UK safety tech organisations and exploratory international missions - which can be virtual if  necessary.
  • Research Centre: Institute of Connected Communities
  • Academic: Professor Julia Davidson OBE

Help us make this site better by telling us what you think about this page

Social Media

Follow us on social media:

Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Youtube Instagram TikTok

University of East London

University Way

London, E16 2RD

United Kingdom



T. +44 20 8223 3000


Explore UEL

  • About UEL
  • Take a Virtual Tour
  • Calendars
  • Freedom of Information
  • Governance Management
  • Services and Departments
  • Find Us
  • Contact Us

The University

  • Undergraduate
  • Postgraduate
  • News
  • Events
  • Jobs

University of East London

University Way

London, E16 2RD

United Kingdom



T. +44 20 8223 3000


Copyright ©2023 University of East London

  • Accessibility
  • Data Protection
  • Sitemap
  • AccessAble
  • Modern Slavery
  • Legal & Compliance