By Natalia Greene - Resolver, based on an interview with Andrea Evans-Bilham - Senior Director of Online Responsibility Network (ORN) and Trust Alliance Group.
Andrea Jane-Evans Bilham is the Senior Director of Online Responsibility Network. Resolver’s Natalia Greene sat down with her to discuss why prioritising trust and safety is becoming an increasingly important strategic consideration for companies, as the digital services industry finds itself at a historical crossroads.
In recent years, the narrative surrounding the internet has grown increasingly strategic and commercial. Experiences of online harm, and the growing scrutiny thus generated - from government, regulators, consumers, and the media - have tarnished many parts of the digital ecosystem. Andrea likens this moment to the decline of the traditional high street; beloved brands disappearing because they stopped listening to their consumers, and failed to change: "there is absolutely no reason to doubt that some of the biggest platforms that are around today will be gone tomorrow, if they fail to adapt to consumer demands for safety.”
Today, the online services sector finds itself at an inflection point. The expansion of online safety regulations globally, a rising tide of civil litigation, and emerging evidence of changing user expectations, are transforming consumer trust into a strategic commercial imperative.
The importance of re-balancing incentives, and ecosystem accountability
In the context of the colossal gains made possible by the dawn of the commercial internet, Andrea is clear that the failure of self-regulation for the industry was entirely predictable. In the absence of legislation, "There's no incentive to do anything differently." With online safety legislation now planned or implemented in 40 nations across the globe, the risk of regulatory fines counter-balancing revenue streams is starting to change calculations.
Most important, as Andrea notes, is the recognition that: “Online safety is an ecosystem-wide responsibility.” This is not an issue that sits squarely with platforms. Network providers, device manufacturers, operating systems and advertisers all form an integral part of the value chain that enables access to digital services. In the eyes of ORN, brands and advertisers in particular represent massive, relatively untapped potential for influencing positive change. When asked what role they might play in incentivising safer online environments, Andrea says they “should be more demanding”, and seek out spaces that treat Trust and Safety as a differentiator.
Emerging evidence of generational shifts, and the commercial risks inherent in ignoring them
Earlier this year, ORN commissioned a UK survey of over 1500 children, young people, and parents. The findings paint a stark picture of a deeply cynical generation; ‘digital natives’ who do not trust what they see online, and are set on taking a more intentional approach to whether and how they engage with online services. According to the survey results:
- Gen Z is more than twice as likely as Gen Alpha to distrust online content, with 24% feeling actively unsafe sharing online.
- Exposure to harm is widespread: 60% of young users reported exposure to misinformation, 41% to scams, and 24% to cyberbullying.
- An overwhelming 77% of users agreed they would actively avoid using or buying from online platforms they do not trust.
The data implies a staggering commercial penalty for platforms that fail to prioritise trust by listening to users and making services safer. ORN plans to repeat the research annually to track changing consumer sentiment and potentially expand it beyond the UK.
Why the current focus on children’s safety must be viewed as a starting point, not the end goal
Across the globe, the regulatory spotlight is definitively on minors’ online safety. While Andrea notes that improving children’s online safety is the obvious place to start, many other users of online services are vulnerable in different ways, and these groups also deserve and demand better protections. Adults of all ages are becoming hyper cynical about online content, and this erosion of trust threatens to pervade the entire audience base.
Currently, there is growing international consensus on social media age delay as a popular path to better protect children from online harms. Such regulations are planned or implemented in twenty-five (25) OECD nations, with the UK’s rule due to take effect early next year. While global momentum on children’s online safety is to be celebrated, ORN’s position is that a focus on the root causes of online harm is a much more sustainable route to making online spaces safer, without disproportionately inhibiting children’s digital rights. “Why lock out an entire demographic”, Andrea queries, “instead of just fixing the product?” The risk with the current approach is that age-gates are substituted for safer design, transformative change that would benefit all users, including vulnerable adults. ORN’s own research also shows that most believe an under-16 ban would be easily bypassed.
The power of trust signals: it’s not just about building it; change needs to be visible
ORN is part of Trust Alliance Group, an organisation with more than two decades of experience acting as the bridge between consumers and regulated sectors. Boosted by ORN’s central position in the online safety ecosystem, it’s this collective, cross-sector insight that uniquely equips ORN to guide the industry forwards. Drawing on just one example, Andrea points to the energy industry, where newer entrants have in recent years rapidly captured market share by heavily prioritising customer experience and consumer trust. According to Andrea, it’s a sign of market maturity, and there are many indications now that this is where the online services sector is also heading.
For platforms taking active steps to better protect users, Andrea says, the change itself is not enough. Companies must “find a way of making it visible.” This is where ORN comes in. Much like a widely recognised kite-mark signals physical safety for consumers of food or retail products, independent assurance from ORN provides a verifiable signal of digital trust for members of its network. ORN’s survey data proves that this visibility pays off. Gen Alpha consumers are 79% more likely to engage with, and 68% more likely to buy from, platforms that are part of a safety network like ORN.
For brand or platform executives still treating online responsibility as a secondary concern, Andrea offers a stark, bottom-line warning: "You will make less money if you don't".