The former head of the National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) has urged social media companies to take stronger action to protect girls and young women online.
Felicity Oswald, who served as interim chief executive and chief operating officer at the NCSC, criticised tech firms for cutting budgets dedicated to online safety, saying more needs to be done to safeguard female users.
Ms Oswald told PA news agency: “I’ve worked really closely with technology companies based across the world, including social media companies, and I know many of their staff work tirelessly to keep their users safe.
“However, it’s not enough yet. The trends are getting worse rather than better.
Felicity Oswald criticised tech firms for cutting budgets dedicated to online safety
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“Technology companies across the world seem to be reducing the number of staff and the systems thinking about harmful content.”
Ms Oswald went on to become the chief executive of Girlguiding, Britain's largest female-focused charity, after spending more than a decade at intelligence, cyber and security agency GCHQ.
She said that in her time working within national security, she had seen "some really awful things".
Ms Oswald added: “It’s really clear that girls have a hard time online and we want to ensure that we’re using Girlguiding as a voice to really champion change as much as possible, both in terms of physical safety in the real world, but also online safety.”
More than a quarter of young women and girls in Britain aged between 13 and 18 had seen a sexualised deep fake of themselves, a friend or a celebrity
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A recent Girlguiding survey revealed that more than a quarter (26 per cent) of women and girls in Britain aged between 13 and 18 had seen a sexualised deep fake of themselves, a friend or a celebrity.
The former cyber security chief described the figures as "shocking".
Ms Oswald said: "I think society needs to wake up and listen to the girls’ voices saying that’s not OK.
“The numbers aren’t going to go down any time soon unless there’s real action.”
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According to new figures from the Office for National Statistics (ONS), online offences such as revenge porn and cyberflashing account for more than half of the 11 per cent rise in reported sexual crimes across Britain between March 2024 and March 2025.
End Violence Against Women Coalition (EVAW) policy head Rebecca Hitchin said: “The increase in reports of cyberflashing and image-based sexual abuse shows growing awareness that such behaviour is an offence.
"However we remain concerned about tech platforms’ inadequate safeguards which allow this behaviour to proliferate.
"Questions must now be asked about the extent to which the police, CPS and courts are prepared and resourced for responding to these forms of online offending.
"Do they have the tools, the understanding and the drive to effectively investigate and prosecute these crimes?"
A recent BBC investigation found that children are still being exposed to violent, bulling and suicide content online despite safety measures in the Online Safety Act coming into force in July.
Online safety specialist David Wright described the investigation's findings as “deeply worrying,” adding that “much of the change will take time to achieve.”
He also urged the public to stay alert, saying: “It means everyone still needs to remain vigilant.”
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