Asked by: Al Pinkerton (Liberal Democrat - Surrey Heath)
Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:
To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, whether she has made an assessment of the potential merits of amending the Online Safety Act 2023 to help tackle fake news through (a) AI-generated content and (b) deepfakes.
Answered by Feryal Clark - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
The Government recognises the challenges that AI-generated content, including deepfakes, can pose to the online environment. The Online Safety Act puts new requirements on social media platforms to swiftly remove illegal misinformation and disinformation - including where it is AI-generated - as soon as they become aware of it.
Our immediate focus is getting the Act implemented quickly and effectively. We will then of course look at where we could go further, as set out in the government’s manifesto. It is right that government continually assesses the law’s ability to keep up, especially where technology moves so fast.
Asked by: Al Pinkerton (Liberal Democrat - Surrey Heath)
Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:
To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what steps he is taking to ensure that vulnerable communities have access to broadband services in Surrey Heath constituency.
Answered by Chris Bryant - Minister of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)
The government recognises that access to the internet is increasingly essential for full participation in society and has taken steps to ensure households across the UK are able to access fast, reliable mobile and broadband services.
More than 25 providers now offer low-cost mobile and broadband packages for households in receipt of Universal Credit and some other means tested benefits (up from 10 providers in September 2022), with the average price of a broadband social tariff being £17.41 per month. Social tariffs could provide consumers with savings of over £220 per year on their fixed broadband bills.