Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of reports that WhatsApp and Signal will withdraw from the UK rather than comply with the provisions of the Online Safety Bill.

The Online Safety Bill includes strong safeguards for users’ privacy and does not require, or allow Ofcom to require, the routine scanning of all private messages.

However, as a last resort and when there is no alternative measure that would be equally effective, Ofcom can require platforms to use highly accurate technology to identify and remove illegal Child Sexual Exploitation and Abuse (CSEA) content only. Where no suitable technology is available, Ofcom can require a platform to use their best endeavours to develop or source new technology to tackle CSEA instead.