Ministers examining calls to stop foreign state involvement in UK online media

30 April 2024, 14:46

Lucy Frazer
Brexit. Picture: PA

Conservative former leader Sir Iain Duncan Smith warned the Government is dealing with a ‘digital world with analogue tools’.

Calls to prevent foreign state involvement in UK online media are being examined by the Government, Culture Secretary Lucy Frazer has said.

Ministers have previously agreed to amend the Digital Markets, Competition and Consumers Bill to ban foreign states from owning UK newspapers and magazines.

But MPs pressed ministers to go further as they welcomed news that RedBird IMI, an Abu Dhabi-backed fund, has withdrawn from a takeover deal for the Telegraph newspaper group.

We are looking at the online news space, that is absolutely vital

Culture Secretary Lucy Frazer

Conservative former leader Sir Iain Duncan Smith warned the Government is dealing with a “digital world with analogue tools”.

He told the Commons: “I know there’s an amendment coming through on another Bill, but we really, really, really need to speed this process up by saying very simply that no foreign state could own any of our media and we now need to look at the online elements as well if we can.”

Ms Frazer said the amendment to the Bill “puts beyond absolute doubt” that it would be “inappropriate” for a foreign state to own UK news media.

She added: “I do recognise that other point in relation to online media and that is absolutely something we are already looking at.”

Conservative MP Alexander Stafford (Rother Valley) also sought assurances on how the Government will prevent foreign involvement in online and television media.

Ms Frazer replied: “We are looking at the online news space, that is absolutely vital.

“It is important to emphasise that Ofcom already has significant powers in the broadcast space, has already taken actions in relation to foreign involvement in our broadcast media over here, has banned certain entities from operating and of course we always need to look at how we tackle misinformation – and that’s something we’re doing across government as a whole.”

Conservative former minister Sir John Redwood earlier welcomed the Government’s stance, adding: “I do hope that in the proposals for amending the law it will be very clear that’s not just a government, but it could be a nationalised industry, it could be a public authority, it could be a company with a shareholding by a state of significant influence because otherwise they might try and find ways around it.”

He added: “Can we please have an amendment that absolutely nails press freedom in the way we want it, free from influence from foreign states?”

Ms Frazer said it is important “we don’t have loopholes” in legislation, adding: “We thought about that as a department very carefully, how do we protect against that and I think he will see when the legislation comes back to this House this afternoon that we’ve defined foreign state ownership very broadly … it includes not only ownership, it also includes control and influence.”

By Press Association

More Technology News

See more More Technology News

A child’s hand pressing a key of a laptop keyboard

Charity ‘appalled’ at reports online safety laws could be cut for US trade deal

School children during a Year 5 class at a primary school

Education Secretary: More men needed in classrooms to be positive role models

Games controller

Cult classic Shenmue named most influential game of all time in Bafta poll

Alliance MP Sorcha Eastwood (PA)

Parents crying out for online regulation, MP Eastwood says

TikTok is set to be banned in the United States later this week unless a buyer emerges.

Amazon makes last-minute bid to buy TikTok as deadline looms

Nintendo Switch 2

Everything you need to know about the Nintendo Switch 2

The Nintendo Switch 2 will release on June 5, 2025

Nintendo Switch 2: Exciting reveal, but why is it more expensive here?

A Nintendo Switch 2

Nintendo confirms Switch 2 will launch on June 5

Tesla dealership damage

Tesla sales tumble to weakest since 2022 amid Musk backlash

The Nintendo Switch 2

Nintendo reveals release date for long-awaited Switch 2 console

Roblox has introduced a slew of new safety features.

Gaming platform Roblox adds slew of safety fixtures for parents to monitor their children’s accounts

Meta's decision to change its content policies was heavily criticised by online safety experts (PA)

Majority oppose Meta’s rollback of safety rules, charity says

A child's hands pressing laptop keys

Regulation and technology can help combat spread of online misogyny, expert says

Raspberry Pi 4 micro computer

Raspberry Pi profits tumble after supply shortages

An RNLI lifeboat brings a group of people thought to be migrants into Dover

UK to work with allies and social media to tackle people smuggling adverts

A child using an Apple iPhone smartphone

School curriculum resources to teach children about risks of in-game purchases