Press release: Prime Minister’s Special Representative on Internet Safety: Joanna Shields

Baroness Shields to serve as the Prime Minister’s Special Representative on Internet Safety.

The Special Representative will support the delivery of the government’s objective to make the UK the safest place to use the internet without fear of abuse, criminality or exposure to harmful content. In this role, she will support the Prime Minister, Home Secretary and Culture Secretary at home and abroad.

The Special Representative will:

• support the government’s work on internet safety representing the UK in the US, EU and international forums, conferences and events. This includes on-going programmes of work and commitments with internet companies internationally (for example, through the EU, ​US, Canada, Australia, New Zealand and other​ international partner​s).
• encourage the development of new company-led interventions to improve internet safety and to address abuse, criminality and harmful content online
• engage with established internet platform providers and facilitate their support of smaller companies with less established practices to combat internet abuse and harms.
• continue serving on the WePROTECT Board and supporting the WePROTECT international agenda and expansion.

The Special Representative will be based in the Cabinet Office and be unpaid.