The parents of a 13-year-old who was killed by two schoolboys have praised amendments made to a bill that would give families access to information about deceased children.
Olly Stephens was fatally stabbed on January 3, 2021, in Reading as a result of an online argument.
The Online Safety Bill amendments have received the government's approval.
The final day of the bill's committee stage in the Lords was "very emotional," according to his father Stuart Stephens.
With regard to how platforms should handle harmful content, the Online Safety Bill seeks to establish legal guidelines.
A cross-party peer, Baroness Kidron, proposed a change that would allow the communications regulator, Ofcom, to ask tech companies for data on behalf of parents and coroners when there is a plausible theory that the information is connected to the child's death.
It would give access to the information about the children's viewing habits and interactions with the material.
Outside of Parliament, Mr. Stephens declared: "There is currently no duty of care on social media, making it too late for Olly's generation who have already witnessed some horrifying things on their mobile devices.
"This is about how the next generation is being harmed in so many different ways. Although you cannot rejoice, we have come a long way.
He continued, "Hopefully, there will be bipartisan support and commitment to passing it.
It does feel like progress, according to Olly's mother, Amanda Stephens.
Olly seems to be pushing us forward even though we've changed as people. His commitment to standing up for the weak and his refusal to tolerate bullying will always be remembered by us, she continued.
According to Baroness Kidron, "The government has promised to offer a compassionate pathway for grieving parents and for coroners to access vital information at a tragic time.
"Our shared objective must be to create a digital environment that is safe by default and design, as well as for children. " .
The government gave in to requests for an amendment earlier this year from nearly 50 Tory MPs, which would have resulted in the imposition of two-year sentences for managers who fail to prevent children from viewing harmful material.
After a trial at Reading Crown Court in September 2021, two boys, both 14 years old, were found guilty of Olly's murder, and a 14-year-old girl admitted manslaughter.
After learning that the attack on him was planned across 11 social media sites, his family has since advocated for stricter online laws to prevent the dissemination of harmful content.
