Government’s Online Harms proposals

“I am pleased that the Government has finally confirmed that it plans to introduce a new duty of care. The signs are that this regulation will have teeth, including strong sanctions for companies found to be in breach of their duties, and a requirement on messaging apps to use technology to identify child abuse and exploitation material when directed to by the regulator. However, much will rest on the detail behind these announcements, which we will be looking at closely.

“It is now essential that the Online Safety Bill is introduced into Parliament as soon as possible in 2021, so that children can enjoy all the benefits of the online world while being kept safe from harm.”