Explainer-in-brief: Behind the tech giants’ headache
The Online Safety Bill, currently in draft stage, aims to create a framework to regulate harmful content online. The Bill rests on the assumption that if Big Tech companies are not doing enough to protect their users, the government must step in.
The Joint Committee working on the draft has chosen Ofcom – the UK communications regulator – as the third party authority setting standards and investigating and fining companies that don’t comply.
Harmful content will have to be taken down by the tech companies by law. One of the most controversial aspects of the bill, however, is what to do with content that is harmful but not illegal. Tech giants will have a “duty of care” to manage harmful but legal content. Critics say it’s unclear how to draw the boundary with this type of material and the surrounding uncertainty throws up threats of expression.