2026 Appropriate Filtering and Monitoring Definitions Published for Public Consultation

The UK Safer Internet Centre (UKSIC) has published a draft of its ‘appropriate’ filtering and monitoring definitions for 2026 for public consultation.
The definitions help both schools and providers understand what is considered ‘appropriate’ filtering and monitoring in the context of statutory safeguarding responsibilities, and comments are invited regarding this year’s proposed revisions.

Alongside the Department for Education’s statutory safeguarding guidance and Prevent Duty obligations, the UK Safer Internet Centre first published its filtering and monitoring definitions in 2016 to help both schools and providers understand what should be considered appropriate when implementing filtering and monitoring systems in education settings.

The definitions continue to support schools, colleges, trusts and providers in understanding filtering and monitoring capability as part of a wider safeguarding approach.

For the 2026 consultation we have published the draft definitions alongside a summary of the proposed changes to help  to understand where clarifications have been made.

The proposed revisions are intended primarily to clarify existing expectations and reflect changes in technology and device usage, particularly around:

– the increasing use of mobile devices and applications
– how filtering and monitoring operate across app based content
– testing filtering and monitoring effectiveness across different devices and configurations
– alignment with current statutory safeguarding expectations.

As part of this year’s consultation we are also seeking views on the terminology used to describe filtering systems that analyse webpage content as it is delivered to the user.

Historically, many filtering systems relied primarily on domain lists or website categorisation. Modern filtering technologies may instead analyse the content of webpages or dynamically generated content in real time, enabling harmful or inappropriate material to be identified within otherwise permitted platforms.

Across the sector this capability is described using several different terms, including:

– contextual filtering
– real time filtering
– inline filtering.

To help ensure the terminology used within the definitions is clear and widely understood, we have included a short poll as part of the consultation.
Please complete the terminology poll here:

The poll should only take a few seconds to complete, and responses will be reviewed alongside the wider consultation feedback.

2026 Appropriate Filtering (Tracked Changes)
2026 Appropriate Filtering (Clean)

2026 Appropriate Monitoring (Tracked Changes)
2026 Appropriate Monitoring (Clean)

Summary of Proposed Changes – 2026

The public consultation period will close on 17^th April 2026
Please send any response to enquiries@saferinternet.org.uk