Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what steps her Department is taking to reduce the level of hateful language targeting MPs on (a) X and (b) other social media platforms.

Illegal abuse is completely unacceptable. The Online Safety Act requires services to prevent and remove illegal content online, including illegal anonymous abuse and hate speech. The Act also introduced the threatening communications offence, which captures communications which convey a threat of serious harm or death.

Category 1 services will be required to remove content that is prohibited in their terms of service and provide users access to tools which reduce exposure to content from non-verified users. Users will also have increased control over the content they see, including hate-inciting content.