The Online Safety Bill
As of the 19th September 2023, The Online Safety Bill has passed its final Parliamentary debate and is now ready to become law. It will be launched by Royal Assent, undergo a period of consultation, and then come into force using a phased approach. This essential piece of legislation will ensure that a zero-tolerance approach is taken to protect children online.
Dame Melanie Dawes, Ofcom Chief Executive, stated: “Today is a major milestone in the mission to create a safer life online for children and adults in the UK. Everyone at Ofcom feels privileged to be entrusted with this important role, and we’re ready to start implementing these new laws. “Very soon after the Bill receives Royal Assent, we’ll consult on the first set of standards that we’ll expect tech firms to meet in tackling illegal online harms, including child sexual exploitation, fraud and terrorism.”
Social media platforms could face fines that could reach into the billions and the people in charge may could even face prison. Ofcom can fine employers up to £18 million or 10% of their global annual revenue, whichever is biggest.
Social media platforms will be expected to:
Remove illegal content quickly or prevent it from appearing in the first place, including content promoting self-harm.
Prevent children from accessing harmful and age-inappropriate content.
Enforce age limits and age-checking measures.
Ensure the risks and dangers posed to children on the largest social media platforms are more transparent, including by publishing risk assessments.
Provide parents and children with clear and accessible ways to report problems online when they do arise.
There are also additions to the bill to tackle online fraud and violence against women and girls. It will soon be easier to convict an individual who shares intimate images without consent and new laws will also further criminalise the non-consensual sharing of intimate deepfakes which is currently a huge issue.
Abusers who share intimate images will be charged much easier and more offenders will receive custodial sentences. Individuals found guilty of this base offence have a maximum penalty of 6 months in custody.
It is important to remember why this bill is essential to ensuring the best child protection measures are in place. The NSPCC reported that “In August this year, they released research that showed that while the Bill was being discussed in parliament in the last 5 years, there has been an 82% rise in online grooming crimes, and a 66% increase in child abuse image crimes.” So, the law is needed more than ever.
Children and young people can be radicalised, bullied, fall victim to sexual images or AI technology deepfakes, exposed to harmful content such as self-harm and suicide, and the list goes on.
We have seen many children who have been abused, exploited or lost their lives and online activity or content has been a major factor. We therefore wish to pay our respects to these children and their families.
Watch this space, we welcome the bill as those who safeguard children, as parents and carers, as friends, and as a society and a nation!
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