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Linking the Foreign Interference Offence to the Online Safety Bill
06 July 2022
Type
Written Ministerial Statement
Department
Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport
At a Glance
Issue Summary
The statement addresses linking the foreign interference offence in the National Security Bill to duties in the Online Safety Bill to combat state-sponsored disinformation.
Action Requested
The government has tabled an amendment to designate the foreign interference offence as a 'priority offence' under the Online Safety Bill, requiring online platforms to act against such interference. This will force companies to take action on wider ranges of state-sponsored disinformation and platform manipulation than currently required.
Key Facts
- The National Security Bill includes a new foreign interference offence targeting malign activities for or on behalf of foreign powers.
- An amendment proposes designating the foreign interference offence as a 'priority offence' in the Online Safety Bill, affecting online platforms.
- Companies will need to proactively prevent individuals from encountering content that amounts to this offence and remove any illegal content once aware.
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Assessment & feedback
Summary accuracy