A row has broken out among MPs and campaigners over plans to delay the government’s ambitious Online Safety Bill until autumn. The Bill had been making its way through Parliament but is now understood to have been delayed until Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s successor is appointed.
The Bill had been regarded as a major landmark in the regulation of the tech sector, with social media and other platforms set to be held accountable for finding and removing harmful content from their sites, with a particular focus on protecting children. Some campaigners warned the delay could be detrimental in the fight to keep children safe online, though others welcomed it as a chance to rethink the legislation.
Andy Burrows, head of child safety online policy at the NSPCC, said: “The Online Safety Bill is a crucial piece of legislation that is fundamentally about protecting children from harm and abuse that is taking place on an industrial scale on social media. Any delay will mean families continue to pay the price for the failure and inaction of tech firms, who have allowed harm to fester rather than get their house in order."
