Tech Bosses Could Face Possible Jail Sentence If Children Are Not Kept Safe Online-UK Prime Minister
Tech bosses could face jail time in Britain if their platforms fail to protect children from online abuse after the government decided to toughen a proposed law to prevent the prospect of a first parliamentary defeat for the prime minister.
Rishi Sunak faced losing a vote in the House of Commons on Tuesday after 50 lawmakers from his Conservative Party and the main opposition party declared their support for yet another amendment to the long-delayed Online Safety Bill.
The rebels had submitted an amendment that called for up to two years in prison for tech bosses who failed to protect children from content including child abuse and self-harm.
The government agreed to modifications to the law that would allow executives to go to jail if they “consent or connive” to breaking the new rules, according to Michelle Donelan, the culture and digital minister.
“This amendment will not affect those who have acted in good faith,” she said. But it would provide “additional teeth to deliver change and ensure that people are held to account if they fail to properly protect children”.
Similar to the European Union and other countries, Britain has struggled with how to safeguard children and other social media users from harmful information without curtailing free speech.
The original intent of the measure was to establish one of the strictest regulatory systems for controlling websites like Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube.
It attempted to make companies remove illegal content from their websites, such as encouragement to commit suicide and revenge pornography.
On the other hand, the suggestions were softened in November 2022 when the demand to stop “legal but harmful content” was dropped on the justification that it might impair free speech. The government suggested such platforms would instead need to implement age restrictions.
Companies that fail to take action to remove illegal content or restrict access for minors risk fines of up to 10% of annual revenue.
Threatening executives with jail time, according to industry body techUK, wouldn’t help create an effective system to protect children, but it would damage the UK’s digital economy.
It said that the amendment caused “significant legal jeopardy for firms” and would make Britain a less desirable location for investors. “The bill as drafted does have ‘teeth’ that will ensure compliance,” it stated.
Author-Roberta Appiah
