Online Safety Bill - Report of the Joint Committee on draft Online Safety Bill, HC 709

Mr. Shannon supports Mr. Collins' stance on lifting the veil of anonymity to ensure accountability for despicable abuse, such as what his Northern Ireland colleague Diane Dodds has faced.

Mr. Hollinrake agrees with Mr. Collins' report, emphasising that platforms must proactively seek out harmful content instead of waiting for user reports.

Argues that paid-for scams and frauds should be regulated, as user-generated content is. Cites Action Fraud data showing 85% of £1.7 billion lost in fraudulent scams resulted from cyber-enabled frauds during the pandemic. Emphasises lack of incentive for platforms to tackle such issues due to advertisement revenue. Proposes third-party verification and Law Commission's proposals on anonymity abuse. Advocates immediate implementation of director liability.

[INTERVENTION] Supports Margaret Hodge’s point about tackling online fraud and emphasises that excluding scam adverts from regulation cannot achieve this goal as stated by the Prime Minister.

Welcomes most of Joint Committee’s recommendations and supports work on journalistic content and age assurances. Expresses concern about the recommendation for a permanent Joint Committee, citing potential bad precedent for future legislation scrutiny and cost implications.

Supports the amendment, stressing the need for regulation to address online harms. Cites concerns about tracking and surveillance by technology companies, and highlights the impact on marginalized groups such as women and ethnic minorities.

Intervened to emphasise the specific harm faced by Muslim women online. Urges for social media companies to be held accountable for their failures in addressing online abuse.

Acknowledges the importance of regulating algorithms to prevent harmful content and protect users from addiction. Supports the need for a comprehensive approach but cautions about the complexity of amending the Bill.

Suicide is a significant public health issue, especially among young people. The internet can exacerbate this problem by providing harmful content that encourages or assists suicide and self-harm. Evidence shows that 26% of suicides in under-20s involve internet-related factors. I support the amendment to include such activities as illegal harms under the Bill.

I welcome the Joint Committee’s report on statutory regulation for online safety, which recognises the failure of self-regulation and the need for stronger laws. I support their recommendation to address new forms of crime, such as cyber-flashing and deepfake technology, by criminalising these activities in the Bill.

I support the Committee’s work on the Online Safety Bill, emphasising the need for a balance between flexibility and specificity in defining harmful content. The report rightly calls for refining the overarching duty of care to ensure adaptability and encourages proactive measures by platforms. It also highlights the importance of addressing harms through risk profiles based on platform activity rather than blunt categorisation approaches.

Hobhouse argues that cyber-flashing is a significant issue for women and girls, with statistics showing it disproportionately affects young women. She calls on the Government to address this by criminalising cyber-flashing based on consent principles.

Mr Matt Warman commends the work of the Joint Committee and supports the principle that what is illegal offline should also be illegal online, including cyber-flashing. He acknowledges the importance of aligning advertising regulations with content regulation.

Mr Stephen Timms welcomes the Joint Committee's recommendation to include paid-for advertising in the scope of the Online Safety Bill. He provides a case study illustrating how organised crime uses online platforms to perpetrate scams, urging the Government to tackle this issue within the bill rather than relying on separate work that progresses slowly.

She questions why tech companies do not remove harmful content proactively, using examples like Molly Russell and Zach Eagling to highlight the severe impacts of harmful online content. She argues for a new offence where senior managers can be held accountable if there is clear evidence of repeated systemic failings that result in significant harm.

Ms Lockhart endorses the recommendations made by the Joint Committee to address anonymous abuse and calls for verification of user accounts. She highlights an incident where a colleague was subjected to vile comments on social media, which were initially not dealt with properly by the platform. She supports proposals that would allow verified and non-verified account options, enhancing protection against abuse.

Aiken supports the inclusion of measures against online fraud in the Bill, advocating for proactive steps from platform operators to address fraudulent material proactively rather than reactively. She also supports bringing paid-for advertising under legislative scrutiny to ensure meaningful efforts combat all forms of online fraud.

Burgon emphasises the need for legislation that covers suicide and self-harm content, welcoming the Committee's recommendation to include encouraging or assisting suicide as a priority illegal harm. He stresses the importance of covering smaller platforms and protecting individuals of all ages from harmful online content, citing tragic cases like Joe Nihill.

Mr. Evans supports the Government's efforts to create a world-leading risk assessment for internet content, praising Ofcom's role in enforcement. He emphasises the need to address harmful but legal content such as body image manipulation through algorithms that repeatedly present doctored images. Mr. Evans calls for transparency around these algorithms and their impact on young people, urging stronger provisions within the Bill.

Mr. Hollinrake highlights the importance of addressing online fraud in the Online Safety Bill, advocating for stricter regulation of paid-for content on platforms that have taken market share from local newspapers. He calls for proactive measures by platforms to remove fraudulent content and suggests external redress processes for victims of fraud.

Mr Nicolson advocated for a regulatory framework that combats disinformation and harmful content online. He cited testimonies from Rio Ferdinand on racist abuse, Stonewall's findings on LGBTQ+ abuse, and evidence of vaccine hesitancy spread through social media. He also highlighted the need to dilute or remove powers granted by the Bill to ensure Ofcom’s independence.

Supports the Joint Committee’s recommendations, emphasising the urgent need for robust online safety legislation. Criticises current lack of regulation and its impact on young people's mental and physical wellbeing. Advocates for financial and criminal penalties for companies failing to act against harmful content, including anti-vax material during the pandemic. Suggests regulating niche organisations like Telegram due to their role in spreading hate speech and misinformation. Urges inclusion of search engines and paid-for advertising within regulatory scope to address fraud and illegal/harmful content.

Chris Philp congratulates Damian Collins on securing the debate and acknowledges the work of the Joint Committee. He expresses gratitude for Baroness Kidron, Lord Gilbert, and others involved in drafting a thorough report. The Government is committed to improving the Bill based on this feedback. Philp highlights the need for substantial improvements to ensure the legislation sets a global example. He stresses the importance of social media firms taking responsibility by adjusting their algorithms before legislative intervention becomes necessary. Furthermore, he acknowledges the tragic case of Molly Russell and other incidents where companies have failed to act responsibly. Philp concludes that action is imperative from both the Government and social media platforms.

Kevin Hollinraeke intervenes to inquire about the inclusion of paid-for advertising within the scope of the Online Safety Bill, expressing support for this measure. He seeks confirmation from Chris Philp regarding whether the Government intends to incorporate such provisions.

Damian Collins thanks all contributors and highlights the cross-party consensus on the necessity of the Bill. He notes that Members spoke from personal experience regarding the abuse they have faced, emphasising the need for legislative action.