This week, Vitrum attended the Parliament & Internet 2025 conference, a landmark event marking the 30th anniversary of the Internet Service Providers’ Association (ISPA UK). Held under the theme “30 Years of Innovation: Where do we go from here?”, the conference brought together policymakers, industry leaders, and experts to discuss the future of digital connectivity and online safety. As a company passionate about the intersection of technology and society, we found the discussions both enlightening and sobering, particularly around the persistent challenges of online safety—especially for children—and the uneven progress in delivering universal connectivity, even in urban areas like London. Here’s a deep dive into the key takeaways and why these issues matter for our digital future.
Online Safety: A Shared Responsibility, Yet Gaps Remain
The session on online safety, titled “Online Safety: Whose Responsibility Is It Anyway?”, was a focal point of the conference. Chaired by Sarah Owen MP, Chair of the Women and Equalities Committee, the panel featured heavyweights like Lorna Woods, Professor of Internet Law at the University of Essex, Dan Sexton from the Internet Watch Foundation (IWF), and Fred Langford, Director of Technology – Online Safety at Ofcom. The discussion underscored a critical point: despite the passage of the Online Safety Act in October 2023, ensuring a safe online environment, particularly for children, remains a work in progress.
Lorna Woods set the stage by highlighting how the responsibility for online safety has shifted over the past three decades. In the early days of the internet, ISPs were seen as the primary gatekeepers. Today, the burden has increasingly moved to tech platforms—social media companies, messaging services, and websites—yet public opinion, as revealed by ISPA’s recent polling, is divided. Their survey found that 33% of people believe users (including parents and caregivers) bear primary responsibility, 21% point to tech platforms, 17% to government and regulators, and only 13% to broadband providers. This fragmentation reflects the complexity of the issue: no single entity can tackle online safety alone.
Dan Sexton from the IWF emphasised the ongoing challenge of protecting children online. Despite industry efforts, such as the IWF’s work to combat child sexual abuse material (CSAM), the scale of online threats continues to grow. The ISPA report notes that 61% of UK adults have experienced some form of online fraud in the past year, with younger people (18-24) reporting higher exposure to scams (92% have encountered suspected fraudulent content). This vulnerability is particularly concerning for children, who may lack the digital literacy to navigate these risks. Carollyn Bunting from Internet Matters stressed the need for better parental controls and education, noting that only 22% of respondents use ISP-provided parental controls, with uptake lower in rural areas (12%).
Fred Langford from Ofcom highlighted the staggered implementation of the Online Safety Act, partly due to unclear delineations of responsibility. He pointed out that while ISPs have made strides—such as offering parental controls and supporting initiatives like the IWF—tech platforms are not doing enough. ISPA’s survey supports this, with 55% of respondents feeling that social media and messaging services fall short in preventing fraud and scams. The panel agreed that a collaborative approach, involving government, ISPs, tech platforms, and even banks, is essential to build a safer online environment. However, the lack of consensus on accountability means we’re not “there yet” in creating a secure digital space, especially for our most vulnerable users.
Connectivity Challenges: Urban Gaps and the Altnet Struggle
The conference also shed light on the UK’s ambitious broadband rollout, particularly the push for full-fibre connectivity. While the ISPA report celebrates the UK’s progress—84% of premises can now access gigabit-capable broadband, and 74% have full-fibre—the final stretch to connect the hardest-to-reach areas remains daunting. Giles Rowbotham, Chief Development Officer at Nexfibre, a key sponsor of the event, was candid about the challenges facing alternative network providers (altnets). He noted that take-up of fibre services is slower than anticipated, which has made investors more cautious. “The altnets’ challenge is to deliver,” Rowbotham said, emphasising that low adoption rates are dampening the sector’s momentum.
This issue is compounded by the complexity of “switching off the copper” network, as Ben Harries, Policy Director at Ofcom, pointed out. Transitioning from legacy copper lines to full-fibre is not a simple flick of a switch; it involves technical, logistical, and consumer adoption hurdles. Many households, even in urban areas, remain reliant on outdated infrastructure, which limits their access to the high-speed connectivity needed for modern digital demands.
Perhaps the most surprising insight came from Stacey McAdie, Digital Champion at the South London Partnership. She highlighted a stark reality: “Even in London, you would expect the most connected UK city, we have residents and businesses with extremely low speeds, sub 40Mb, and no 4G/5G option.” This revelation challenges the assumption that urban areas are fully connected. While Greater London leads in awareness of full-fibre upgrades (42% of residents know about the rollout, per ISPA’s data), pockets of the city still lag behind, with speeds insufficient for basic tasks like video calls or streaming. This urban digital divide underscores the need for targeted interventions to ensure no one is left behind, even in metropolitan hubs.
Driving Connectivity: Public Support and Policy Needs
Despite these challenges, the conference highlighted strong public support for continued investment in digital infrastructure. ISPA’s polling shows that 77% of respondents want broadband providers to keep funding rollout, with support even higher in cities (81%). The public also accepts short-term disruptions, like roadworks, for long-term gains, with 62% agreeing it’s a necessary trade-off. However, awareness of the full-fibre upgrade remains low—only 53% know it’s happening—suggesting a need for better communication, especially in rural areas where awareness is as low as 48% in the South East.
To address these gaps, the ISPA report and conference speakers called for stronger government-industry partnerships. The government’s Project Gigabit, which has committed £5 billion to connect rural areas, was praised, but speakers like Rowbotham and Harries stressed the need for sustained policy support to maintain momentum. Recommendations included raising awareness of fibre’s benefits, streamlining regulations to reduce rollout barriers, and empowering local authorities to lead tailored digital inclusion initiatives. McAdie’s insights from South London highlighted the potential for local campaigns to boost adoption and skills, ensuring that connectivity translates into meaningful access.
Looking Ahead: A Call for Collective Action
The Parliament & Internet 2025 conference was a powerful reminder that while the UK has made remarkable strides in digital connectivity, significant challenges remain. Online safety, particularly for children, requires urgent attention and clearer accountability across the digital ecosystem. Meanwhile, the dream of universal connectivity is within reach but demands innovative solutions to overcome low take-up, investor caution, and urban-rural disparities.
Lord Clement-Jones’s opening address set the tone, reflecting on how internet policymaking has evolved over three decades. As we look to the next 30 years, the message is clear: delivering a safe, inclusive, and connected digital future requires collective ambition. From government leadership to industry innovation and public engagement, every stakeholder has a role to play. As ISPA UK celebrates its 30th anniversary, the conference left us optimistic about the potential for progress but acutely aware that we’re not “there yet.” Let’s keep pushing forward—because a truly connected and safe digital UK is worth fighting for.