Commons Sense

House of Commons · Ministers' Questions

Online Harms

Thursday 4 June 2020 · 5 questions

Summarised by AI from the official record, so it can contain mistakes.

Read the full transcript on Parliament.uk

At a glance

Answered 1 Partly answered 4 Not answered 0

Key points

  • Government plans to bring forward legislation addressing online harms in the current parliamentary session.
  • Draft age appropriate design code will be laid imminently, with an economic impact assessment by the Information Commissioner's Office.
  • Bill scope includes robust protections for young people online and accountability for social media companies based on lessons from pandemic disinformation.

Topics (select to filter)

Questions & Answers

Q1 Jeremy Wright Con Kenilworth and Southam
Culture, Media & Sport
Context

The issue of online harms is becoming more urgent due to increased online activity during the pandemic, especially affecting vulnerable individuals.

Question

I am concerned about sensible, balanced regulation of online harms centred on a duty of care for online platforms. Can I urge the Government to bring forward legislation as soon as possible and provide details on the draft age appropriate design code?

Answer from Oliver Dowden

I reassure that decisions are being made daily to ensure the response to the White Paper is brought forward, with the Bill itself also planned for this Session. The draft age appropriate design code will be laid imminently, and an assessment of its economic impact by the Information Commissioner's Office will accompany it.

Partly answered

Not addressed: Did not provide specific dates or timetable for legislation introduction

How: Almost As We Speak, On Pretty Much A Daily Basis

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Q2 Jeremy Wright Con Kenilworth and Southam
Culture, Media & Sport
Context

The government has not introduced any draft legislation for online harms or the age appropriate design code despite previous discussions and announcements. Online fraud has risen 400%, making regulation urgent.

Question

Given the increase in online fraud and child abuse during the pandemic, why has the Government failed to introduce any draft legislation, and what dates can be provided for the code and Bill?

Answer from Oliver Dowden

I reassure that the age appropriate design code will be laid imminently, as required by statute. The economic impact of the code is being assessed by the Information Commissioner's Office, and frequently asked questions for the news media sector will be included in the explanatory memorandum.

Partly answered

Not addressed: Did not provide specific dates or timetable for legislation introduction

How: I Am On The Side Of Young People

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Q3 Chi Onwurah Lab Newcastle upon Tyne Central and West
Culture, Media & Sport
Context

There is a need to ensure online harms legislation reflects lessons learned from disinformation during the pandemic.

Question

Can you confirm whether online harms legislation will be delivered in the next 12 months, and will its scope reflect the lessons from our experiences of disinformation?

Answer from Oliver Dowden

I can assure that the Bill will be introduced within the year. The scope includes robust protections for young people online, holding social media companies to their own terms and conditions based on lessons from experiences of disinformation during the pandemic.

Partly answered

Not addressed: Did not provide a specific date certain for legislation introduction

How: I Can See That The House Is Trying To Nail Me Down

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Q4 Julian Knight Con
Culture, Media & Sport
Context

There is a concern about a rise in harmful online gambling during the emergency situation.

Question

What action are the Government taking to prevent a rise in harmful online gambling during the emergency?

Answer from Oliver Dowden

The Government have introduced a ban on using credit cards for gambling and are issuing a call for evidence on loot boxes as part of measures to address harmful online gambling during the emergency.

Answered
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Q5 Kate Green Lab
Culture, Media & Sport
Context

The issue of online harms is becoming more urgent due to increased online activity during the pandemic, especially affecting vulnerable individuals.

Question

I am concerned about sensible, balanced regulation of online harms centred on a duty of care for online platforms. Can I urge the Government to bring forward legislation as soon as possible and provide details on the draft age appropriate design code?

Answer from Oliver Dowden

I reassure that decisions are being made daily to ensure the response to the White Paper is brought forward, with the Bill itself also planned for this Session. The draft age appropriate design code will be laid imminently, and an assessment of its economic impact by the Information Commissioner's Office will accompany it.

Partly answered

Not addressed: Did not provide specific dates or timetable for legislation introduction

How: Almost As We Speak, On Pretty Much A Daily Basis

Was this summary accurate? Tell us

How accurate was this summary? (1 = poor, 5 = spot on)

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