Social Media: Safety

(asked on 24th January 2022) - View Source

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

To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to introduce measures in the Online Safety Bill that grant Ofcom powers to scrutinise social media companies' algorithms.


Answered by
Lord Parkinson of Whitley Bay Portrait
Lord Parkinson of Whitley Bay
Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)
This question was answered on 7th February 2022

The Online Safety Bill will give Ofcom a range of powers to understand how and to what extent companies are operating their algorithms in ways that comply with their duties in the Bill. Ofcom will have the power to request information from providers which could, for instance, be used to require from a provider information about its assessment of the risks associated with its algorithms or about how its algorithms operate.

Ofcom will have the power to require a company to undergo, and pay for, a skilled person’s report which could be used to assess potential non-compliance, and/or to build an understanding of the risks associated with the operation of a service’s algorithms.

Ofcom will also have the power to enter and inspect premises, documentation, and equipment. Where there are reasonable grounds to suspect non-compliance, Ofcom will be able to seek a warrant which would allow it to inspect and seize information and equipment. These powers could also be used in relation to the operation of companies’ algorithms.

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