LONDON, UNITED KINGDOM – The UK Government has launched a new campaign aimed at supporting parents with practical advice on how to talk to their children about the content they encounter online.
The Department for Science, Innovation and Technology has developed the ‘You Won’t Know until You Ask’ campaign, designed to provide parents with immediate, practical support and the confidence to start conversations with their children about the content they see online.
The initiative responds directly to calls from parents seeking guidance on navigating their children’s use of social media. New Government-commissioned research shows that half of British parents admit they have never spoken to their children about harmful online content, despite 90% of 11-year-olds now owning a smartphone.
Created by TMW, part of Accenture Song, the campaign will run across TV, online video, display, search, radio, social, and DOOH. Media planning was handled by Wavemaker, with media buying by OmniGov at Manning Gottlieb OMD. The creative campaign aims to raise awareness of how insidious body-shaming, misogynistic, and rage-bait content can be, while encouraging parents to communicate with children aged 8–14 across all genders.
In the hero film, which will run across VOD and social platforms, viewers see a teenage boy sitting on the sofa. As the camera zooms in, the voiceover describes the types of harmful content he sees on his phone while an ordinary family morning continues around him. The voiceover then asks, “Is your child influenced by toxic content? You won’t know, until you ask.”
The radio execution focuses on harmful information seen by a daughter while her father prepares dinner, again reminding parents how easily such exposure can happen unnoticed, and encouraging regular conversations.
Voice-enabled interactive smart speaker advertising and digital display placements will also help parents set weekly reminders to talk with their children. Influencer marketing and radio partnerships will provide guidance from real parents.
The campaign encourages parents to engage with new guidance backed by behavioural research and academic insights. This includes conversation prompts and age-appropriate advice for tackling misinformation and harmful content, including rage-bait and misogyny. The goal is to build media literacy among both parents and children by helping them understand the types of content circulating online and why young people may encounter it.
Alongside the campaign, the Government is launching a National Conversation and consultation on children’s digital wellbeing, engaging directly with parents and children across the country to shape longer-term measures.
The campaign will initially launch as a pilot in Yorkshire and the Midlands, allowing the Government to test, consult, and learn from families before considering a nationwide rollout.
James Staff, Director of Communications at the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology, said, “We want to give families clear, practical guidance they can easily start to use with young people about online safety. It’s a complicated topic that needs to be handled sensitively so we’ve consciously developed this campaign in partnership with experts and consulted parents widely on the approach. We’re piloting this for now which gives us the chance to test and learn to ensure that the government is supporting families in the right way.”
Elinor Jones, Managing Partner at TMW, part of Accenture Song, added, “So many parents have fears about the way their children engage with online content, but they often feel in the dark about the specifics. Through this campaign, we’re seeking to change that. By equipping them with the insight and language that allows them to have necessary conversations, we’re hoping to encourage kids to think critically about what they see online.”
