Public support tech bosses being made liable for online harms, NSPCC says

6 January 2023, 00:04

Which? research
Which? research. Picture: PA

The children’s charity has called on the Government to amend the Online Safety Bill to make named managers criminally liable for harm on their sites.

The Government should strengthen the online safety laws to hold senior managers at tech firms legally responsible for harmful content appearing on their platforms, the NSPCC has said in response to polling which found the public support such measures.

A survey commissioned by the children’s charity found that 81% of UK adults would want senior managers to be appointed and held responsible for stopping children being harmed by social media through the Online Safety Bill.

The study also found that 66% of those who had an opinion on the issue said they would want those managers to be prosecuted for any failures which result in serious harm to children.

The NSPCC said the findings show overwhelming public support for tougher enforcement measures within the Bill, which has been repeatedly delayed, much to the alarm of safety campaigners.

Currently, the proposed laws would only hold tech bosses liable for failing to give information to the sector’s proposed new regulator, Ofcom.

The Bill is set to return to Parliament this month, with some MPs set to back the putting forward of an amendment that would mean increased accountability for tech bosses under the new laws.

“2022 was the year the Online Safety Bill faced delay after delay,” NSPCC chief executive Sir Peter Wanless said.

“Meanwhile, children faced sexual abuse on an industrial scale and tech bosses sat on their hands as their algorithms continued to bombard young users with hugely dangerous material.

“This year must be the year legislation delivers the systemic change for children online that our polling shows families up and down the UK are asking for.

“The Government can do this by delivering bold, world-leading regulation that ensures the buck stops with senior management for the safety of our children.”

Using published crime statistics, the NSPCC has estimated that more than 21,000 online child sexual offences will have been recorded by police since the legislation was delayed last summer.

A Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport spokesperson said: “Protecting children from online harm is a top priority and we share the public’s desire for increased accountability.

“The Government will carefully consider all proposed amendments to the world-leading Online Safety Bill and set out its position when Report Stage continues in January.”

By Press Association

More Technology News

See more More Technology News

Hands on a laptop

Estimated 7m UK adults own cryptoassets, says FCA

A teenager uses his mobile phone to access social media,

Social media users ‘won’t be forced to share personal details after child ban’

Google Antitrust Remedies

US regulators seek to break up Google and force Chrome sale

Jim Chalmers gestures

Australian government rejects Musk’s claim it plans to control internet access

Graphs showing outages across Microsoft

Microsoft outage hits Teams and Outlook users

The Google logon on the screen of a smartphone

Google faces £7 billion legal claim over search engine advertising

A person holds an iphone showing the app for Google chrome search engine

Apple and Google ‘should face investigation over mobile browser duopoly’

UK unveils AI cyber defence lab to combat Russian threats, as minister pledges unwavering support for Ukraine

British spies to ramp up fight against Russian cyber threats with launch of cutting-edge AI research unit

Pat McFadden

UK spies to counter Russian cyber warfare threat with new AI security lab

Openreach van

Upgrade to Openreach ultrafast full fibre broadband ‘could deliver £66bn boost’

Laptop with a virus warning on the screen

Nato countries are in a ‘hidden cyber war’ with Russia, says Liz Kendall

Pat McFadden

Russia prepared to launch cyber attacks on UK, minister to warn

A Google icon on a smartphone

Firms can use AI to help offset Budget tax hikes, says Google UK boss

Icons of social media apps, including Facebook, Instagram, YouTube and WhatsApp, are displayed on a mobile phone screen

Growing social media app vows to shake up ‘toxic’ status quo

Will Guyatt questions who is responsible for the safety of children online

Are Zuckerberg and Musk responsible for looking after my kids online?

Social media apps on a phone

U16s social media ban punishes children for tech firm failures, charities say