Representatives from major brands including giffgaff, PwC UK, and WeAre8 and parenting campaigners today (Thursday 24th September) unveiled a giant billboard in London warning Brits to treat their ‘digital diet’ like they would their food diet.
The activation marked the inaugural Online Responsibility Day, run by the nonprofit Online Responsibility Network, which aims to raise awareness amongst consumers and businesses of online harms.
The billboard unveiled by parenting campaigner and ex Love Island Star Camilla Thurlow revealed the first ever online safety trust mark for consumers.
The trust mark will allow consumers to demand action from brands after new research commissioned by the Online Responsibility Network found a staggering eight in ten (80%) Brits support food-style warning labels on websites and apps carrying misinformation.
Online Responsibility Network’s new trust mark will be given to platforms and brands committed to improving online trust and safety. Consumers can use the trust mark to certify a brand or platform has taken action to improve their online safety standards.
Online Responsibility Network launched in 2026 to help brands improve their online safety standards and implement the Online Safety Act and wider online safety regulations from across the world. Founding members include giffgaff, Resolver, Freedom2Hear, Save the Children, Liverpool John Moores University, Manchester Metropolitan University, BluTui and StrawberrySocial.
Amanda Manning, Director at the Online Responsibility Network said:
“We check labels on food. We check safety ratings on products. Yet online, we’re often left to work things out for ourselves.”
“Today’s billboard reflects what our research is telling us: people want clearer signals about which platforms are taking responsibility for user safety
“Our online safety trust mark launched today has been created with that in mind. It’s not about telling people where they should spend their time online. It’s about giving them greater confidence and more information so they can make informed choices to be responsible online.”
Anna Whitehouse, Founder of Mother Pukka said:
“Most of us wouldn’t buy food without checking what’s in it, yet every day we’re consuming huge amounts of online content with very little information about how safe or trustworthy it is.”
“People are hungry for more transparency online. Whether it’s misinformation, harmful content or simply understanding which platforms are taking safety seriously, families want clearer information so they can make informed decisions.”
“We’re all guilty of scrolling on autopilot sometimes. Online Responsibility Day is a good reminder to pause, be a bit more curious about what’s appearing in front of us, and think about the digital spaces we’re choosing to spend our time in.”
As part of Online Responsibility Day today, the public is being encouraged to complete three simple checks when using the internet:
Check your accounts – Review your privacy settings, security tools and who can contact or view your information online.
Check your feed – Take a moment to consider what content you are consuming, who is creating it, and whether it is accurate, trustworthy and age-appropriate.
Check the platforms you use – Choose platforms that demonstrate a commitment to online safety, transparency and accountability, and which provide clear tools to protect users from harm.