UK GOVERNMENT PLAN TO IMPLEMENT INTERNET REGULATION

27 September 2018

In an effort to improve internet regulations, the government’s Home Office and the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) are currently drafting legislation in order to regulate “social harms” online.

The proposed regulator has been labelled as the internet equivalent to Ofcom – the regulator of broadcasting, telecommunications and postal infrastructures. As similar to Ofcom, the regulation intends to include a mandatory code of practice for social media and websites. The Home Secretary, Sajid Javid and Culture Secretary, Jeremy Wright, are currently considering the terms of the Code of Practice. The terms are set to include age verification on social media sites, as well as a rule enforcing all sites to remove any harmful content within a specific time frame or instead face fines.

The Head of Ofcom, Sharon White, recently announced a call to action regarding the regulation of tech companies:

“The boundaries between broadcasting and the online world are being redrawn. This has implications for the public’s understanding of what protections apply online.

Certain principles from broadcasting regulation could be relevant as policymakers consider issues around online protection.”

Talks of internet regulation were discussed in last year’s Conservative party manifesto, stating their disagreement with the notion that government should not involve themselves with the regulation of technology.

A government representative confirmed their plans on technology regulation, stating:

“This winter we will publish a White Paper, setting out new laws to tackle the full range of online harms and set clear responsibilities for tech companies to keep UK citizens safe”

“We are considering all options, including what legislation will be necessary and whether a regulator is needed.”

The tech industry has since raised doubts regarding the proposed regulation, in relation to how government-backed regulation would actually work, and whether or not a legal framework can be implemented in organisations outside of the UK. There are also concerns surrounding regulation of non-illegal content, which may contradict freedom of expression legislation, which is resonant in technology.