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

To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what steps she is taking to (a) ensure that providers of online platforms are regulated by a robust, independent regulator and (b) require those providers to (i) monitor and (ii) report on abuse taking place on their platforms.

The Online Safety Bill will entail a significant expansion of Ofcom’s existing responsibilities. We are working closely with Ofcom to ensure it is prepared for its new role, and to ensure the legislation is effectively implemented. This includes work to ensure it has the resources, skills and capabilities it needs to prepare to take on its new functions. Ofcom is already regulating UK-established video sharing platforms following the passage of the Audiovisual Media Services Regulations 2020, which came into effect in November 2020. This experience will help prepare Ofcom for its online safety regulatory role.

Under the new Bill, companies in scope will need to minimise and remove illegal content, including illegal abuse. They will also have to protect children from harmful or inappropriate content. The largest and highest risk companies will also be required to publish annual transparency reports about the steps they are taking to tackle online harms.

If platforms fail in their duties under the Bill, they will face tough enforcement action including fines of up to 10% of annual global qualifying revenue, or £18m, whichever is the greater.