Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the impact of catfishing on users of social media platforms.

The impact of ‘catfishing’ can be devastating for victims. Under the Online Safety Act all in-scope services will need to protect users from illegal content and criminal behaviour, including communications offences such as the false communications offence.

In addition, those services that are likely to be accessed by children will need to take steps to protect child users from content which is harmful. Ofcom will have robust powers enforce to against companies who do not comply with their duties