Online Safety Bill to force social media firms to act on illegal content more quickly
Offences like revenge porn, hate crime and fraud must be removed by platforms under the new rules.
The Online Safety Bill has been strengthened with the addition of a number of new criminal offences to force social media firms to act on illegal content more quickly, the Government announced.
Culture Secretary Nadine Dorries confirmed that offences such as revenge porn, hate crime, fraud, the sale of illegal drugs or weapons, the promotion or facilitation of suicide, people smuggling and sexual exploitation have been added to the list of priority offences and as such must be removed by platforms under the new rules.
Previously, sites would have been forced to take down such content after it was reported to them by users, but now would be required to be proactive and work to prevent users from encountering such content in the first place.
The Government said that naming these offences on the face of the Bill also enables the proposed regulator Ofcom to take faster enforcement action against firms that fail to remove it.
The changes come after three separate reports from parliamentary committees warned the draft Bill required strengthening and more clarity for tech firms on what was expected of them if it was to offer adequate protection.
"This Government said it would legislate to make the UK the safest place in the world to be online while enshrining free speech, and that's exactly what we are going to do," Ms Dorries said.
"Our world-leading Bill will protect children from online abuse and harms, protecting the most vulnerable from accessing harmful content, and ensuring there is no safe space for terrorists to hide online.
"We are listening to MPs, charities and campaigners who have wanted us to strengthen the legislation, and today's changes mean we will be able to bring the full weight of the law against those who use the internet as a weapon to ruin people's lives and do so quicker and more effectively."
Three new criminal offences, recommended by the Law Commission, are also to be added to the Bill in an effort to make criminal law fit for the internet age, the Government said.
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