August 6th 2023.
The Culture, Media and Sport Committee has expressed concern that 'tech abuse' is on the rise, as domestic abusers increasingly use technology to monitor, harass, coerce and control victims of domestic abuse. This has been described as a 'surge' in the use of devices such as smart home security systems, baby monitors, cameras and smart speakers.
Chairwoman Dame Caroline Dinenage has labelled this rise in tech abuse as 'truly chilling', citing data from domestic abuse charity Refuge, which found that 59% of the women and children they supported in 2020-2021 had experienced abuse involving technology. The committee has stated that the UK's law enforcement and criminal justice system is not currently equipped to deal with this type of abuse, which is likely to become 'even more prevalent in future'.
The Culture, Media and Sport Committee has now called on the government to commit to tackling tech abuse, including by 'upskilling' workers in relevant sectors, 'increasing law enforcement's and victims' and survivors' awareness of specialist services tackling violence against women and girls', and 'reflecting on how official crime data on tech abuse can be improved'. They have also proposed a 'tech abuse working group' to be formed by the Office for Product Safety and Standards, which should produce guidance and a code of practice.
Given the potential risks to children from connected technology, MPs have also raised concerns about the use of such technology in schools and by children in their homes. The committee accused the Government and Information Commissioner's Office of having been 'quick to dismiss their concerns' and urged the ICO to take a 'more proactive approach' in engaging with manufacturers of connected toys and education technology.
The committee has also called on employers to only monitor employees in smart workplaces in consultation with, and with the consent of, those being monitored. Chairwoman Dame Caroline Dinenage acknowledged the 'undoubted benefits to everyday life' of technology, but warned of 'the real risk some of these gadgets pose to privacy and personal safety online'.
In response, a Government spokesperson said that the government is determined to tackle domestic abuse, and will introduce world-leading rules to bolster cybersecurity standards across devices, as well as the Online Safety Bill. They added that the government has already invested over £230 million of funding to prevent offending, support victims and pursue perpetrators.
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