Parliament Event on Cross-Sector Perspectives on EdTech, AI, Governance and the Implications for Children

24 November 2025 | A multi-disciplinary session was convened in UK Parliament to present evidence on governance, safety, developmental, wellbeing and educational impact of digital technologies in schools. Hosted by Shadow Secretary of State for Education Laura Trott MP and introduced by campaigner Sophie Winkleman, with the support of Close Screens Open Minds and SafeScreens, the event brought together researchers, clinicians, educators, legal experts, technologists, and parents to assess the structural and policy implications of EdTech’s expanding role in UK classrooms.

Across contributions, a shared concern emerged: the digitisation of education has outpaced both evidence and governance frameworks leaving gaps when it comes to data protection, safety and children's learning and wellbeing.

Evidence on learning and cognitive outcomes

Speakers highlighted a growing body of research and indicated that increased digital device use in classrooms does not correlate with improved learning outcomes and may, in some contexts, undermine them. Findings discussed included OECD analyses, neuro-scientific evidence on attention and memory, and clinical insights into screen-related health and cognitive effects. The presentations stressed on the need for evidence-based adoption of digital tools, rather than default reliance on EdTech as a presumed driver of innovation.

Governance challenges and systemic risks

A central theme EDDS Institute brought to the session was the governance gap surrounding EdTech infrastructures, platforms, and data flows. The key message was that the digital classroom increasingly depends on large private infrastructures—cloud services, platform integrations, and AI-enabled systems—operating with limited public oversight.

The key systemic risks highlighted were:

• The impact of digitising education's operational infrastructure through proprietary systems.

• Rising data misuse and capture and growing cyber insecurity.

• The lack of mandatory standards for privacy, security, and AI governance in education.

The digital classroom no longer belongs to the public sector and therefore no one can guarantee it works for the public good

was EDDS's key message, arguing that education requires governance frameworks comparable to those applied to other high-risk domains affecting children’s rights and welfare and where automated, predictive systems can influence decision-making.

EDDS Institute briefly showcased its research, work and advocacy around the need for independent audit methodologies and standards for assessing the whole sector of EdTech and AI tools for education.

Policy considerations and the path ahead

Legal, parental, and sector representatives outlined additional concerns—including inadequate regulatory clarity, insufficient filtering and safety mechanisms, and lack of meaningful recourse for families—further illustrating the need for a comprehensive governance approach.

The session concluded with international perspectives, including Spain’s recent policy shift toward reduced digital device use in early education. These examples suggest that rapid policy recalibration is possible when guided by evidence and aligned with safeguarding priorities.

The Parliamentary event highlighted a broad consensus among all stakeholders - that effective oversight of EdTech requires structured governance, independent auditing, and clear standards grounded in evidence and careful consideration of what is even desirable for a developing child's wellbeing.

As digitisation accelerates, organisations such as the EDDS Institute continues to support policymakers, schools, and international bodies in building the frameworks needed to ensure that technology in education is safe, reliable, and aligned with the public interest.