The Bill enshrines in law the power of unaccountable foreign internet platform providers to police online speech in the UK. This power could be used in a biased or oppressive way. The Bill also positions Ofcom as an arbiter for these global providers, which we think is nonsensical.
We are concerned that the Bill’s requirements on illegal and harmful content will mean messaging apps will be unable to remain private and encrypted, with associated data protection, censorship, privacy & legal implications. The Bill gives insufficient consideration to human rights including: the right to liberty; respect for family & private life; freedom of thought, conscience & religion; and freedom of expression. Free speech online should be a civil law matter, like for defamation, and the Government should pursue a different approach to regulating online content that acknowledges this.