UK-US Trade Agreement Digital Services Regulation 2025-05-14
2025-05-14
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Questions & Answers
Q1
Direct Answer
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Context
Mr Morrison raises concerns about the impact of social media on children's mental health, noting that nearly 40% of children report negative impacts. He points out gaps in the regulation of smaller websites under the Online Safety Act.
Many constituents have contacted me with concerns around social media and public health. Nearly 40% of children report that social media has a negative impact on their mental health, and with glaring holes in the Online Safety Act 2023, dangerous smaller websites remain unregulated. Can the Secretary of State confirm that protections for children will not be up for negotiation in any deal with the United States?
I am grateful for the question. I share the hon. Gentleman’s concern for young people's welfare online and have taken steps to strengthen provisions including issuing a statement of strategic priorities to Ofcom, tackling intimate image abuse, and supporting age verification measures set to begin in July. Online harms are never up for negotiation under this Government.
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Q2
Direct Answer
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The Chair of the Science, Innovation and Technology Committee welcomes the US-UK trade deal but highlights evidence from her committee that social media algorithms drive misinformation. She calls for further strengthening of online safety measures to protect against future risks.
I really welcome the US-UK trade deal and the fact that the Secretary of State kept his commitment not to put online safety on the table in those negotiations. My Committee’s inquiry into social media misinformation and algorithms has heard evidence that these drive the spread of misinformation, with consequences seen in summer riots. Will he confirm that as well as not watering down existing regulations under the Online Safety Act, efforts will be made to strengthen it?
I reassure my hon. Friend that we are looking closely at how to strengthen the online safety regime to protect children in the future, including research into the relationship between social media products and their impact on young people, with actions planned based on findings.
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Q3
Direct Answer
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Concerns are raised about potential weakening of the Online Safety Act during UK-US trade negotiations, given meetings with tech giants. The questioner seeks assurances that such protections will remain intact.
Given growing concerns around the Online Safety Act possibly being weakened during UK-US trade negotiations and reports that the Secretary of State is meeting repeatedly with tech giants like Amazon, Google, and Meta, it is vital that children’s safety remains a red line. Can he confirm that not only are online harms not up for negotiation but also that the Online Safety Act will remain unaltered in these discussions?
We have delivered a deal with the US without weakening any legislation for children's safety. The previous Government took a decade to achieve this; we delivered it, strengthening young people’s rights instead of weakening them.
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