Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, whether her Department has made an assessment of the potential impact of provisions in the Online Safety Bill relating to user ID verification requirements on legitimate uses of online anonymity.

The user identity verification duty in the Online Safety Bill will give users more control over who they interact with online. It only applies to high risk, high reach services. Users who do not want to verify themselves will not have to do so. This ensures that legitimate uses of anonymity are not restricted.

Ofcom will issue guidance to assist providers in complying with the user verification duty. Ofcom will be required to consult individuals who represent the interests of vulnerable adult users in the development of its guidance.