Professor Andy Phippen is academic specializing in digital rights, online safety, and the ethical implications of technology in society. He holds the position of Professor of IT Ethics and Digital Rights at Bournemouth University and serves as a Visiting Professor at the University of Suffolk. With a career spanning over two decades, Professor Phippen has focused extensively on the social contexts of information and communication technologies (ICTs). His research delves into critical areas such as data protection, internet safety, sexting, peer abuse, and the impact of digital technology on well-being. He has contributed significantly to academic literature, authoring fifteen books and numerous journal articles and book chapters on these subjects.
Beyond academia, Professor Phippen is actively involved in policy and advisory roles. He has presented written and oral evidence to parliamentary inquiries concerning the use of ICTs in society and is a frequent media commentator on issues related to children and the internet. His expertise is further recognized through his membership in the Scientific Panel on Child Protection and Social Media at the International Panel on the Information Environment. Professor Phippen is a research partner with the UK Safer Internet Centre and contributes to organizations like Internet Matters, providing guidance on online safety for children and young people. He is a Fellow of the British Computer Society, a founding member of the Fellows Technical Advisory Group, and currently vice-chair of Academic Accreditations Committee. He is a trustee of SWGfL, the country's leading online safety charity, and Callywith College, an outstanding post-16 education provider in Cornwall.
His interdisciplinary approach, combining technical expertise with social science perspectives, positions him as a leading figure in discussions about digital ethics and the protection of rights in the digital age.
Impact Case Study for REF2021: https://results2021.ref.ac.uk/impact/a3c80ae0-20b5-4566-a3ea-dd6ca677880a?page=1
A full list of publications can be found on his Google Scholar profile: https://scholar.google.co.uk/citations?user=FBrqcq8AAAAJ&hl=en
Research
Online Harms
Digital Rights
Technology Law
IT Ethics
Publications
Journal articles
Phippen, A. and Agate, J., 2015. New social media offences under the Criminal Justice and Courts Act and Serious Crime Act: the cultural context. Entertainment Law Review (UK), 26 (3).
Phippen, A. and Agate, J., 2016. Gaming and young people - the right concerns? Entertainment Law Review (UK), 27 (1).
Phippen, A., 2016. Young people and pornography - legislating our way out of a social problem. Entertainment Law Review (UK), 27 (3).
Phippen, A., 2016. Age verification and online pornography - an effective safeguarding approach? Entertainment Law Review (UK), 27 (5).
Phippen, A. and Agate, J., 2017. "Doing more" to end sexting - facts, fictions and challenges in the policy debate on young people's sexting behaviour. Entertainment Law Review (UK), 28 (3).
Books
Phippen, A., 2025, Policy and Rights Challenges in Children's Online Behaviour and Safety, 2017-2023, Second Edition 2025.
Phippen, A. and Gray, S.L., 2021, Digital Children: A Guide for Adults, Hachette UK.
Phippen, A. and Street, L., 2021, Online Resilience and Wellbeing in Young People Representing the Youth Voice, Cham: Palgrave Macmillan.
Phippen, A. and Bond, E., 2023, Policing Teen Sexting: Supporting Children's Rights While Applying the Law, Cham: Palgrave Macmillan.
Phippen, A., 2025, Policy and Rights Challenges in Children's Online Behaviour and Safety, 2017-2023, Cham: Springer Nature.
Chapters
Phippen, A. and Bond, E., 2022. Human Rights and Cybersecurity. Encyclopaedia of Cryptography, Security and Privacy. Springer.
Phippen, A. and Bond, E., 2022. Online safeguarding of Adults with an intellectual disability: How do we ensure that participation and protection rights are adequately met in digital society? The SAGE Handbook of Digital Society. Sage.
Phippen, A. and Bond, E., 2023. Section 69 - Threats of Disclose Private Sexual Photographs and Films with Intent to Cause Distress. Blackstone's Guide to the Domestic Abuse Act 2021. Blackstone.
Phippen, A. and Tyrell, K., 2024. Systemic Responses to Online Abuse on Campus. Tackling Domestic Abuse and Sexual Violence: A Systems Approach. Springer.
Phippen, A. and Bond, E., 2025. Human Rights and Cybersecurity. Encyclopedia of Cryptography Security and Privacy Third Edition. 1139-1141.
Conferences
Phippen, A., 2017. Nudes, Dick Pics, and Jeremy Hunt. In: Gikii 10-12 September 2017 Winchester.
Phippen, A., 2023. Sex Drugs and Online Safety. In: Gikii 10-12 September 2023 Rejkjavik.
Phippen, A., 2024. The Eternal Heartbreak of the Shop Assistant Pressing the "This Person Is Clearly Over 25"Button at the Self Service Checkout. In: Gikii 10-11 September 2024 London.
Evans, M.P., Furnell, S.M., Phippen, A.D. and Reynolds, P.L., 1998. Mobility considerations for integrated telecommunications service environments. In:. 101-105.
Schilke, S.W., Bleimann, U., Stengel, I. and Phippen, A.D., 2006. Fitting extended blended learning and multi-dimensional-personalization into learning management systems. In:. 393-400.
Other
Evans, M.P., Kettunen, K.T., Blackwell, G.K., Furnell, S.M., Phippen, A.D., Hope, S. and Reynolds, P.L., 1997. Network resource adaptation in the DOLMEN service machine. Lecture Notes in Computer Science Including Subseries Lecture Notes in Artificial Intelligence and Lecture Notes in Bioinformatics. Published.
Schneider, O., Bleimann, U., Phippen, A.D. and Harriehausen-Mühlbauer, B., 2009. Simplified creation and presentation of non-linear adaptive content. Lecture Notes in Computer Science Including Subseries Lecture Notes in Artificial Intelligence and Lecture Notes in Bioinformatics. Published.
Phippen, A. and Ashby, S., 2013. Digital behaviors and people risk: Challenges for risk management. Advanced Series in Management. Published.
Grants
Grants
- KTP - Intasoft Ltd. (Innovate UK, 1 September 2000). Completed
- KTP - Richfords Ltd. (Innovate UK, 1 November 2001). Completed
- KTP - Corpdata Ltd. (Innovate UK, 1 September 2002). Completed
- KTP - Goss Interactive. (Innovate UK, 1 September 2003). Completed
- KTP - Logo Design. (Innovate UK, 1 May 2004). Completed
- KTP - Absolute Software. (Innovate UK, 1 April 2011). Completed
- KTP - Plymouth City Council. (Innovate UK, 1 August 2008). Completed
- KTP - Bluefruit Software. (Innovate UK, 1 May 2018). Completed
- KTP - Goss Interactive. (Innovate UK, 1 June 2010). Completed
- KTP - Kay Transport. (Innovate UK, 1 April 2006). Completed
Outreach & engagement
External responsibilities
- Open University, External Examiner (2012)
- Westminster University, External Examiner (2007)
- University of Greenwich, External Examiner (2006)
- Bournemouth University, External Examiner (2010)
- Glamorgan University/University of South Wales, External Examiner (2011)
- University of Stirling, External Examiner (2020)
Public engagement & outreach activities
- The Conversation give out an annual prize for best academic journalist of the year. I was a nominee for this award in 2024.
- "Children's Privacy and Safety Online - Beyond CSAM (Regulation on Child Sexual Abuse Material)" - Privacy Symposium 2024
- "Defining Privacy Harms in a Modern World" - Global Privacy Assembly - International Conference on Privacy Regulation
- "Ethical Issues in the use of AI by NGOs" - Worshipful Company of Information Technologists April 2022
- "Adopting a Resilience and Risk Mitigation to Online Harms" - CYPNow Conference February 2022
- "Holistic approaches to supporting young people with SEND in engaging with the online world" - CYPNow Conference 2025
- "End to End Encryption and Policy Balance" - Briefing to the Home Office
- Keynote Speech - SACPA/BAISIS Safeguarding International Students Conference 2025
- "Holistic Approaches to Tackling Online Harms" - Association of Child Protection Professionals Special Interest Group
- "Stakeholder Responsibilties in Online Harms" - Westcountry Schools Trust Safeguarding Conference 2025
- "Professional Responses to Online Harms" - Truro Learning Academic Annual Safeguarding Conference 2025
- "Failing to Learn from Past Failures in Digital Literacy" - Eton College Roundtable on Digital Literacy
- "Horizon Scanning - New Online Threats" - OFCOM Roundtable
- "Challenging Prohibitive Narratives in Online Harms" - Webinar, National Association for the Treatment of Abusers (NOTA)
- Keynote - Headstart Kernow Digital Harms Conference
- Respondent - UCL's Collaborative Social Science Domain's 2024 Annual Debate
- "Challenges of Misinformation in the Digital Age" - RAID/Internet Commission Conference 2024
- "Harm Reduction and Online Harms". Policing Harmful Sexual Behaviours in Schools, University of Surrey
- "Online Risk and Resilience" - West Schools Trust Northern Ireland
- "Why Safer Internet Day Isn't Working" - NHS East Safeguarding Conference
- "Stakeholder Modelling Online Harms" - Meta Youth Forum
- "Public Health Approaches to Online Harms" - NSPCC Meeting on Public Health Approaches to Child Protection
- "Regulating Online Harms" - NSPCC event on young people and pornography
- "Harm Reduction Approaches to Online Harms" - StarMAT DSL Conference 2023
- "Youth-centric approaches to tackling online harms" - Farrers Annual Safeguarding Conference
- "High Level Working Group for Privacy and Safety" - Meta Youth Forum
- "Harm Reduction Approaches to Online Safety" - North West Online Safety Conference.
- "Harm Reduction Approaches for Online Safety in Sexual Health Commissioning" - Sexual Health Commissioner's Conference.
- "Responding to Online Harms in Higher Education" - Times Higher Education Conference.
- "Online Harassment in Universities - What is Duty of Care" - Pinsent Mason Conference
- "Technology Doesn't Solve Online Safety" - Charles Russell Speechlys LLP Safeguarding Conference
- "Online Safety and Digital Rights for Adults with Brain Injuries" - EnableLaw Seminar Series
- "Tackling Online Harassment in Universities - A Holistic Approac" - UUK/BCS Conference on Online Harassment
- "Tackling Online Harassment in Universities - A Holistic Approach" - Office for Students conference on Online Harassment
- Gave evidence from research to APPG inquiry on teen sexting
Media coverage
External media and press
- Panic over children's mobile phone use distracts from the help young people actually want, The Conversation. 12 Mar 2025. https://theconversation.com/panic-over-childrens-mobile-phone-use-distracts-from-the-help-young-people-actually-want-250957
- Getting your child a smartphone or tablet for Christmas? Here's what you need to know about security, The Conversation. 2 Dec 2024. https://theconversation.com/getting-your-child-a-smartphone-or-tablet-for-christmas-heres-what-you-need-to-know-about-security-244678
- Should you give your child a 'dumb' phone? They aren't the answer to fears over kids' social media use, The Conversation. 10 Sep 2024. https://theconversation.com/should-you-give-your-child-a-dumb-phone-they-arent-the-answer-to-fears-over-kids-social-media-use-238129
- Why bans on smartphones or social media for teenagers could do more harm than good, The Conversation. 21 Feb 2024. https://theconversation.com/why-bans-on-smartphones-or-social-media-for-teenagers-could-do-more-harm-than-good-224005
- When to give your child their first mobile phone - and how to keep them safe, The Conversation. 23 Nov 2023. https://theconversation.com/when-to-give-your-child-their-first-mobile-phone-and-how-to-keep-them-safe-217152
- Online safety bill: why making the UK the 'safest place to go online' is not as easy as the government claims, The Conversation. 26 Sep 2023. https://theconversation.com/online-safety-bill-why-making-the-uk-the-safest-place-to-go-online-is-not-as-easy-as-the-government-claims-214290
- ChatGPT isn't the death of homework - just an opportunity for schools to do things differently, The Conversation. 27 Aug 2023. https://theconversation.com/chatgpt-isnt-the-death-of-homework-just-an-opportunity-for-schools-to-do-things-differently-205053
- Children have been interacting in the metaverse for years - what parents need to know about keeping them safe, The Conversation. 26 Apr 2023. https://theconversation.com/children-have-been-interacting-in-the-metaverse-for-years-what-parents-need-to-know-about-keeping-them-safe-202303
- Why children don't talk to adults about the problems they encounter online, The Conversation. 11 Apr 2023. https://theconversation.com/why-children-dont-talk-to-adults-about-the-problems-they-encounter-online-202304
- Protecting children in the metaverse: it's easy to blame big tech, but we all have a role to play, The Conversation. 28 Feb 2023. https://theconversation.com/protecting-children-in-the-metaverse-its-easy-to-blame-big-tech-but-we-all-have-a-role-to-play-177789
- As we rushed online, did student welfare get lost in transition?, Times Higher Education. 25 Feb 2021. https://www.timeshighereducation.com/opinion/we-rushed-online-did-student-welfare-get-lost-transition
- If the OfS doesn't appear to take online abuse seriously, who will?, Times Higher Education. 16 Feb 2021. https://www.timeshighereducation.com/opinion/if-ofs-doesnt-appear-take-online-abuse-seriously-who-will
- Is online delivery placing students at greater risk of abuse?, Times Higher Education. 15 Jan 2021. https://www.timeshighereducation.com/opinion/online-delivery-placing-students-greater-risk-abuse
- Cybersecurity is not just for the geeks in the IT department, Times Higher Education. 6 May 2021. https://www.timeshighereducation.com/campus/cybersecurity-not-just-geeks-it-department
- Do EDI kitemarks help protect female researchers from online abuse?, Times Higher Education. 8 Nov 2021. https://www.timeshighereducation.com/campus/do-edi
- If universities push staff towards social media, they must protect them, too, Times Higher Education. 10 Dec 2021. https://www.timeshighereducation.com/campus/if-universities-push-staff-towards-social-media-they-must-protect-them-too
- Social media can help new students make friends - but we must regulate it, Times Higher Education. 28 Mar 2022. https://www.timeshighereducation.com/campus/social-media-can-help-new-students-make-friends-we-must-regulate-it
- Balancing student data collection and privacy protection, Times Higher Education. 22 Apr 2022. https://www.timeshighereducation.com/campus/balancing-student-data-collection-and-privacy-protection
- Despite positive steps, much remains to be done on sexual misconduct, Times Higher Education. 23 May 2022. https://www.timeshighereducation.com/campus/despite-positive-steps-much-remains-be-done-sexual-misconduct
- Safeguarding conferences are becoming the land that change forgot, Times Higher Education. 31 Aug 2022. https://www.timeshighereducation.com/campus/safeguarding-conferences-are-becoming-land-change-forgot
- Rather than waiting to be told, here's how to do something about online harms, Times Higher Education. 14 Mar 2023. https://www.timeshighereducation.com/campus/rather-waiting-be-told-heres-how-do-something-about-online-harms
- Parents warned over children's online safety, The Guardian. 10 Jul 2013. https://www.theguardian.com/society/2013/jul/10/parents-children-online-safety
- Thousands of children under 14 have been investigated by police for sexting, The Guardian. 30 Dec 2019. https://www.theguardian.com/society/2019/dec/30/thousands-of-children-under-14-have-been-investigated-by-police-for-sexting
- Number of children who are victims of cyberbullying doubles in a year, The Guardian. 30 Nov 2014. https://www.theguardian.com/society/2014/nov/14/35pc-children-teenagers-victims-cyberbullying-fears-grooming-tinder-snapchat
- Good day at school? There's an app for that, The Guardian. 5 Mar 2016. https://www.theguardian.com/education/2016/mar/05/education-parent-children-behaviour-app
- Harassment fears as students post extreme pornography in online lectures, The Guardian. 22 Apr 2020. https://www.theguardian.com/education/2020/apr/22/students-zoombomb-online-lectures-with-extreme-pornography
- Is my child spending too much time playing video games?, The Guardian. 5 Jun 2014. https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2014/jun/05/is-my-child-spending-too-much-time-playing-video-games
- Children are 'upset' by online violence, study finds, The Guardian. 2 Feb 2013. https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2013/feb/03/children-upset-online-violence-study
- Are teenagers really careless about online privacy?, The Guardian. 21 Oct 2013. https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2013/oct/21/teenagers-careless-about-online-privacy
- Parents panic about sexting, but children will make their own online moral codes, The Guardian. 4 Jun 2017. https://www.theguardian.com/society/2017/jun/03/sexting-parents-panic-children-make-own-moral-codes
- Should schools do more to protect teachers from cyberbulling?, The Guardian. 21 May 2014. https://www.theguardian.com/teacher-network/teacher-blog/2014/may/21/schools-protect-teachers-cyberbullying-online-abuse
- Can we create a moral metaverse?, The Guardian. 14 May 2022. https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2022/may/14/can-we-create-a-moral-metaverse
- Video games and violence: a parents' guide, The Guardian. 4 Jun 2014. https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2014/jun/04/video-games-violence-parents-guide-pegi-call-of-duty-grand-theft-atuo?CMP=gu_com
- Let's talk about sex: teachers back call for sex education to be compulsory, The Guardian. 13 Jun 2014. https://www.theguardian.com/education/2014/jun/13/teachers-sex-education-mandatory-subject-compulsory-schools-porn-sexting
- Porn, knives and drugs websites accessible on most public Wi-Fi, The Guardian. 25 Sep 2013. https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2013/sep/25/porn-knives-and-drugs-websites-accessible-on-most-public-wi-fi
- Nadine Dorries: Cyber security experts lack confidence in new culture secretary's 'unexpected' appointment, The I Newspaper. 17 Sep 2021. https://inews.co.uk/news/technology/nadine-dorries-culture-secretary-cabinet-reshuffle-cyber-security-experts-1202645
- Universities' responses to online harassment and hate crime 'worse than a postcode lottery, The I Newspaper. 11 Jan 2020. https://inews.co.uk/news/education/universities-online-abuse-training-reporting-systems-384259
- University gossip pages are publishing 'toxic' anonymous racist and homophobic comments, The I Newspaper. 6 Nov 2019. https://inews.co.uk/news/education/university-gossip-pages-exeter-neo-nazi-bath-359821
- Universities failing to get a grip on online harassment experienced by their students, academics reveal, The I Newspaper. 16 Sep 2019. https://inews.co.uk/news/education/universities-online-harassment-students-339449
- Why an explicit picture on your child's phone could wreck their career: Lockdown saw the number of sex texts sent by teenagers rocket. Now, a leading expert sends parents a disturbing message of his own, Daily Mail. 5 Aug 2020. https://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-8597385/Why-explicit-picture-childs-phone-wreck-career.html
- The worrying spread of 'sexting': How naive schoolgirls text naked pictures of themselves to boys.. who post them on the internet, Daily Mail. 26 Mar 2011. https://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-1370081/Most-adults-blissfully-unaware-spread-sexting--naive-schoolgirls-texting-naked-pictures-boys-But-mother-discovered-worryingly-common.html
- Teenager becomes youngest person convicted for revenge porn in the UK after selling nude pictures of his 15-year-old ex-girlfriend for £10 when he was FOURTEEN, Daily Mail. 2 Feb 2015. https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2936307/Teenager-youngest-person-convicted-revenge-porn-UK-selling-nude-pictures-15-year-old-ex-girlfriend-10-FOURTEEN.html
- Sex texts epidemic: Experts warn sharing explicit photos is corrupting children, Daily Mail. 10 Dec 2012. https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2246154/Sex-texts-epidemic-Experts-warn-sharing-explicit-photos-corrupting-children.html
- Can social media school make your 16-year-old a star?, The Telegraph. 25 Oct 2018. https://www.telegraph.co.uk/family/schooling/can-social-media-school-make-16-year-old-star/
- Is your video doorbell stressing you out? Home surveillance is booming - but is it good for us?, The Telegraph. 5 Oct 2019. https://www.telegraph.co.uk/family/parenting/video-doorbell-stressing-home-surveillance-booming-good-us/
- Is it OK to 'spy' on my child with a tracking app?, The Telegraph. 10 May 2018. https://www.telegraph.co.uk/family/parenting/ok-spy-child-tracking-app/
- Will your children's social media posts come back to haunt them?, The Telegraph. 7 Apr 2021. https://www.telegraph.co.uk/family/parenting/explain-kids-todays-social-media-posts-may-come-back-haunt/
- Why teenagers are 'self-trolling' on websites like Reddit, The Telegraph. 21 Feb 2016. https://www.telegraph.co.uk/technology/2016/02/19/why-teenagers-are-self-trolling-on-websites-like-reddit/
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