Educating pupils on online safety: Love Island contestant receives MBE
Love Island, a Reality TV show that would usually bring out its own fair share of safeguarding concerns for school staff. Body image, social media, unhealthy relationships, and bullying are all topics that have raised concerns each time the popular show is broadcast.
However, one contestant has been in the media for a vastly different reason. Georgia Harrison received an MBE in late 2025 in recognition for her work on tackling online privacy and cybercrime, specifically focussed on revenge pornography, image-based sexual abuse and violence against women and girls.
Georgia, who was a contestant in 2017 and 2024 on the show, popular with teenagers and young adults, bravely spoke out against her ex-partner Stephen Bear. She waived her anonymity after Bear shared her private images and videos he had taken of them without her consent. Bear was sentenced to 21 months in prison for his actions and now Georgia is campaigning for more awareness of this crime.
Pupils in school have so much access to social media from an early age and many do not understand the risks associated with it.
Georgia’s story and the celebration of her actions make the dangers such as image-based sexual abuse and how private content can be misused very relatable to the teenage fan base of the show.
Many pupils will not understand the law around the distribution of private images and videos, with some still seeing it as a “joke,” “banter” or “harmless fun.” By using Georgia’s example, school staff who have a responsibility for educating pupils on online safety can highlight important aspects such as:
The law
Victim impact
Rights and responsibilities
Consequences
Staying safe online
What to do if it happens to you
Her MBE and the celebration of a young woman who had the courage to speak up can potentially open up conversations that school staff and parents would otherwise have struggled to start. Georgia’s story also highlights that if this does happen to you, there is support for victims and to speak up if they feel harassed, pressured, or exploited. Prevention and education are key as with most safeguarding issues and PSHE lessons could be tailored to speak about:
Consent
Digital boundaries
Online safety
The law
Trust and confidence are important when discussing topics like this and using an example like Georgia will only reinforce this.
Visit our online safety resource page for DSLs and staff
About the author: Melissa Pollard is a Designated Safeguarding Lead with 20 years experience in education and children's mental health.
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