Published: Fri 21 Nov 2025
Written by: Thomas Dyson, Head of Marketing
In the world of child protection, the moral argument is clear. We all agree that children deserve to be safe online. But when it comes to how we communicate that message, especially with parents and policymakers, it’s often been a lot messier.
We’ve all seen the fragmented campaigns, the mixed messages, the over-complicated language. And I get it. When you're dealing with something as sensitive and urgent as online child sexual abuse, it’s hard to strike the right tone. It’s why IWF and a group of international partners came together to support a major piece of work asking a simple but vital question: What do parents think? And how can we communicate with them better?
The results are powerful. And they deserve our collective attention.
The research, led by More in Common, is among the largest international studies of its kind, capturing the voices of 9,500+ parents across the UK, US, France, Poland and the Netherlands, with 16 focus groups to dig into the nuance. It was commissioned through the Kids Online Safety Communications Hub, a partnership that includes IWF, ECPAT International, ParentsTogether and ChildFund International.
The message was clear. Parents are deeply worried about their children’s safety online. They feel they’re carrying too much of the burden, and they don't think tech companies or political systems are stepping up in the way they should. Parents are united in their concerns across borders and politics.
Results included:
What really struck me is how ideologically aligned parents are on this issue. Where there is polarisation on so many other areas of policy, online safety is a space where parents converge, not diverge.
There's a temptation in communications to assume that audiences are fragmented or disengaged. But here, we see something different: a cohesive and highly motivated public.
Parents feel isolated and unsupported. They believe that the burden is falling on them when it should also fall on tech companies and governments. They’re not interested in blame games or finger-pointing. They want clarity. They want tech companies and governments to do more. Parents reject the idea that protecting children online requires sacrificing privacy or freedom of speech. For them, children’s safety is the priority.
The majority of parents in every country surveyed say the risk to children outweighs concerns about restricting access or regulating online spaces. This challenges a common narrative in tech and policy circles that efforts to improve online safety are at odds with user rights or public opinion.
For those of us working in communications and public engagement, this research is instrumental. It gives us tested language, meaningful audience segments and real insight into what lands and what doesn’t.
In the UK, for example, five audience groups were identified, from passionate advocates to more sceptical but persuadable parents. Across the board, support for action was high. In France, parents said online safety matters more than things like road safety or diet. In Poland and the US, parents with strong religious or conservative values were just as committed to the cause as their more liberal peers.
The takeaway? We don't need five completely different strategies. We need one clear and confident message, consistently repeated, that builds public momentum and political pressure.
The next step isn’t just to read the research; it’s to use it. In our campaigns. In our stakeholder engagement. In our policy submissions. And in how we speak to each other across organisations, sectors and countries. The child protection space is full of passionate voices, but we don't always speak the same language. This is our chance to change that. Let's move from fragmented advocacy to coordinated communication. Let's use the same framing, the same language and the same evidence base to create a drumbeat that's impossible to ignore.
The Case Has Been Made. Now Let’s Make It Heard.
With regulations under review across Europe, elections looming in numerous countries, and increased concern about AI-generated harm and lack of protections in end-to-end encrypted environments, the need for a united voice on online child safety has never been more urgent. The technology exists to keep children safe. Public support is overwhelming. What's needed now is political will and strategic alignment to act. Let's make sure we're prepared to meet that moment.
Explore full research and resources from More in Common here.
A new IWF report reveals record levels of AI‑generated child sexual abuse imagery and alarming insight into how offenders are exploiting emerging technologies. The charity is urging EU lawmakers to introduce a zero‑tolerance ban on AI‑generated abuse and the tools used to create it.
