Online Safety

Luke Myer Excerpts

Tuesday 8th September 2026 Commons Chamber

[Lisa Nandy]

The hon. Gentleman gives an astonishing example. I am very happy to pick that up with the social media companies directly.

[Luke Myer (Middlesbrough South and East Cleveland) (Lab)]

I echo the comments of my hon. Friend the Member for Hyndburn (Sarah Smith) on misinformation and disinformation. We know that hostile states around the world, from Russia to Iran, are actively using social media disinformation as a tool as part of their forward defence strategy to disrupt democracies and sow division. What more will the Government do to address that?

[Lisa Nandy]

We are coming at that from a number of angles. As well as the measures I have been outlining to colleagues today, we are looking at how we can develop gov.uk. We are pioneers when it comes to gov.uk, but we believe we could do even more to make it more relevant and to provide better avenues to trusted sources of news. My hon. Friend will also know that, along with the Minister of State, Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, my right hon. Friend the Member for Edinburgh South (Ian Murray), we produced the first ever local news strategy to support the incredible local news outlets that did such amazing work during the riots a few summers ago to tackle misinformation and disinformation and to do myth-busting on the ground. Colleagues will also know that we are about to embark on the BBC charter review, which is our opportunity to take what is perhaps our best weapon against misinformation and disinformation, and make sure we put it on a firm and secure footing for the foreseeable future.