Asked by: Anna Gelderd (Labour - South East Cornwall)
Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:
To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, whether his Department has assessed the potential impact of online forums on the purchase of (a) sodium nitrate and (b) other substances for the purpose of suicide by vulnerable individuals; and what steps she is taking to (i) identify and (ii) remove harmful online content.
Answered by Feryal Clark - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
Under the Online Safety Act, in-scope services, regardless of their size, must prevent all users from encountering illegal suicide content, and children from harmful suicide content. On 9 April, Ofcom launched an investigation into whether the provider of a pro-suicide forum failed to comply with its duties under the Act. This first enforcement action taken by Ofcom demonstrates that harmful suicide forums are a high priority for enforcement.
Asked by: Anna Gelderd (Labour - South East Cornwall)
Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:
To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what assessment has he made of the effectiveness of the Online Safety Act in tackling forums and websites that promote suicide methods.
Answered by Feryal Clark - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
Under the Online Safety Act, in-scope services, regardless of their size, must prevent all users from encountering illegal suicide content, and children from harmful suicide content. On 9 April, Ofcom launched an investigation into whether the provider of a pro-suicide forum failed to comply with its duties under the Act. This first enforcement action taken by Ofcom demonstrates that harmful suicide forums are a high priority for enforcement.