In 2023, Paladin Capital Group commissioned PUBLIC to deliver a multi-year international study of the Safety Tech sector. Despite growing global interest, information on the sector’s size, structure, and direction remained unknown or fragmented across markets, so the project set out to build a clearer picture of the sector worldwide and how it is evolving.
The programme had three core objectives:
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The research therefore set out to answer four key questions:
By 2025, the challenge has evolved. Enforcement of online safety laws, combined with new AI-enabled risks (e.g., deepfakes, synthetic identity fraud, agentic AI), meant the report needed not only to track growth, but also to capture how Safety Tech was expanding into identity, financial fraud prevention, and AI assurance, and what that means for buyers, investors, and regulators.
PUBLIC worked with Paladin Capital, Perspective Economics, and Dr Mary Aiken to deliver a multi-method research programme combining quantitative analysis with qualitative insight. Each edition builds on the previous one through a core four-stage approach:
In 2025, this approach was expanded to reflect shifts in the sector. The analysis incorporated cyber-physical systems, fraud and financial safety, and AI safety, introducing an updated definition and taxonomy to capture this broader scope.
Across all editions, PUBLIC has acted as lead researcher and coordination partner, synthesising data and insight into a coherent narrative that supports informed decision-making across industry, government, and investment communities.
Now in its third year, the ISoST series provides a consolidated and regularly updated evidence base on the global Safety Tech sector. The reports are used by investors, policymakers, and industry stakeholders to understand how the market is developing, where investment and demand are emerging, and how regulation is influencing adoption. The 2024 edition recorded 620+ downloads from PUBLIC’s website and was featured in the industry newsletter Everything in Moderation.
The 2025 edition reflects further shifts in the sector:
By combining quantitative analysis with insight from practitioners, the series helps stakeholders navigate a fast-moving space and make informed decisions.
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Reach out to the team
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Discover how the very architecture of online platforms can facilitate harm and how a new, trauma-informed approach to design can proactively protect women and girls globally.
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NHSX’s six-week, rapid-scouting TechForce19 challenge successfully identified, funded, and scaled 18 digital solutions to deliver "a significant and palpable improvement" in care for vulnerable and isolated people during the COVID-19 pandemic.
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PUBLIC led a UK government initiative to fund five organisations developing privacy-preserving technology to detect child sexual abuse material in encrypted environments.
Partnering with DCMS to operate the UK’s first Safety Tech Challenge Fund - a groundbreaking grant programme aimed at empowering safety tech innovation to enhance child online safety
Through extensive desk research, use case development and stakeholder engagement, we recommended four areas of focus for the EHRC’s Strategic Plan relating to AI and equality and human rights.
Developing recommendations grounded in leading industry insights to empower DSIT to support the SafetyTech sector’s growth effectively and navigate potential challenges
Empowering DSIT to assess the Online Safety Bill’s effectiveness with a flexible M&E framework informed by robust research
Researching accreditation approaches across the technology sector to develop recommendations for a tailored accreditation process for the online safety tech industry
Comprehensive research to equip Ofcom with a deep understanding of online content accessibility via search services, informing online safety guidance
Crafting a comprehensive Interactive Services (IS) Model to provide Ofcom with a common framework for understanding user journeys and platform workflows
Conducting a detailed analysis of the emerging SafetyTech sector to enable DCMS to make informed decisions and continue supporting the sector’s expansion
Mapping the current state of the Age Assurance market, identifying representative use cases, and key challenges to help DCMS gain a more in-depth understanding of a rapidly evolving technology sector
Researching the existing taxonomy, prevalence, legislative and regulatory landscape, and emerging trends related to Child Financial Harms
Developing a ‘minimum-viable product’ for a standards framework to assess online safety compliance solutions
Through mixed methods user research we mapped the prevalence and impact of OVAWG, identified key dynamics characterising how these harms occur, and categorised 18 harm types.
Researched innovative design approaches that can support the safety of women and girls on online platforms and services.
Research, system-mapping and recommendations for Nominet's fund combatting illegal online harm.
Facilitating data access to catalyse innovation in the Safety Tech sector
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