Internet: Bullying

(asked on 15th December 2016) - View Source

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what recent steps her Department has taken to reduce online abuse.


Answered by
Ben Wallace Portrait
Ben Wallace
This question was answered on 20th December 2016

We expect social media companies, and internet platforms, to have robust processes in place and to act promptly when abuse is reported. The Government continues to work closely with social media companies and other relevant actors and experts to make sure they are committed to protecting those who use their platforms. The law is clear that what is illegal offline is illegal online. Robust legislation is in place to deal with internet trolls, cyber-stalking and harassment, and perpetrators of grossly offensive, obscene or menacing behaviour. The Criminal Justice Act 2015 strengthened two existing communications offences: section 1 of the Malicious Communications Act 1988, and section 127 of the Communications Act 2003 which can now be used to prosecute misuse of social media. The police now have longer to investigate either offence, and the maximum penalty for the former has been increased to two years imprisonment. The Crown Prosecution Service published guidance to prosecutors in October on crimes involving social media. The Home Office has allocated £4.6 million of the Police Transformation Fund specifically to begin the critical work of setting up a comprehensive and joined up programme of digital transformation across policing.

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