The UK government is considering a new regulator to oversee what happens on the internet. The plans will likely target companies like Facebook , Twitter and YouTube .
The plans, according to Buzzfeed , would create a new body that would control the internet in much the same way as Ofcom regulates TV, radio and telecoms companies.
A lot of the plans target social media. One proposal is a requirement on companies like Facebook and Twitter to properly verify the age of users in an attempt to better protect children.
Social media will also be targeted with "takedown times" designed to force them to remove hate speech within a short window.
There would be fines levied on firms that fail to remove terrorist material, child abuse images or hate speech.
There have already been proposals about political campaigning on social media made. These include reforming electoral law to be fit for purpose in the digital age.
The follow the scandals around how Facebook allowed Cambridge Analytica to use the data of 50 million people worldwide and as many as 1 million UK citizens.
New rules would reform electoral law to better cope with the way social media has changed advertising through precise targeting of demographic groups.
There may also be new taxes for social media companies which the BBC says will be used to fund digital literacy education in schools.
The internet would also see legislation preventing the advertisement of unhealthy foods online. Existing rules for the media do apply to the internet too and are overseen by the ASA currently.
It’s also likely that the new body would oversee the delayed age block of online porn. The plans require all adult material be placed behind an age verification system.
However those plans have been criticised for being difficult to implement and potentially removing a valuable source of information for young people. Content blocks can sometimes exclude sites offering advice even if it’s not pornographic.
With tech-savvy children easily able to use VPN services which allow them to circumvent geographic restrictions it’s also hard to prevent people seeking out material banned in one country but not another.
A government spokesperson told Buzzfeed "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".
Source: Read Full Article