UK tech safety revenue and jobs soar as landmark bill gets shelved till autumn
Despite the landmark Online Safety Bill being shelved until the autumn, UK safety tech sector’s revenues jumped 21 per cent to £381m in the past year.
According to data from Perspective Economics on behalf of the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, there was a 30 per cent boost to the number of safety tech jobs in 2021, with an additional 650 jobs.
This brings the total number of people employed in the sector to 2,850, and heralding a new push for developers, content moderators and policy professionals.
The tech sector for safety is now on track to grow even further, raising a record-breaking £63m of external equity investment last year.
Commenting on the findings, Digital Minister Damian Collins said: “UK tech firms are at the cutting-edge developing practical solutions to the risks posed by the internet so that it continues to be a benefit not a detriment to people’s lives.”
“They have blazed a trail of growth, innovation and job creation to become world leaders in their field and we are committed to maintaining their upward trajectory.”
There are now 117 safety tech firms operating across the UK, an increase of 17 on last year. More than half of these firms are located outside of London.
Head of Online Safety Policy at NSPCC Andy Burrows said the UK is now “well placed” to become a leader in developing solutions to tackle online harms and keep children safe from preventable abuse.