Social Media: Fake News Debate
Full Debate: Read Full DebateDepartment: Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport
Lord Fowler
Main Page: Lord Fowler (Crossbench - Life peer)Department Debates - View all Lord Fowler's debates with the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport
(4 years ago)
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Baroness Barran
My Lords, I found it slightly difficult to hear the noble Lord. If I may, I will listen again and respond in writing.
The Lord Speaker (Lord Fowler)
Lord Griffiths of Burry Port. No? I call Lord Clement-Jones.
Lord Clement-Jones (LD)
My Lords, in the light of the Avaaz report and Ofcom’s latest figures showing the massive extent of Covid disinformation, is not the Government’s approach to social media platforms far too flabby? Should they not be obliging social media platforms to not only provide correct information, but issue warnings and then terminate the accounts of those disseminating misinformation about Covid-19?
Baroness Barran
We would rebut the allegation that our response has been flabby. This is clearly an incredibly fast-moving situation. My right honourable friend the Secretary of State meets regularly with the social media companies. As I said earlier, we think that there is more that they can do, but they have made some important moves in recent weeks.
The Lord Speaker
My Lords, I am afraid to tell you that the time allowed for this Question has elapsed. My apologies to the noble Baronesses, Lady Lane-Fox and Lady Healy of Primrose Hill. We can now come to the third Oral Question.