UK’s Online Safety bill has completed the legislative procedure and is now ready to become law.
The bill introduces an online protective shield, imposing strict requirements on social media companies and granting extensive safeguards to children, primarily. This includes, among others, the removal of harmful and age-inappropriate content, making the internet safer for everyone. Keep reading for a summary of the new Online Safety Bill 👇
“A game-changing piece of legislation,”
remarked Technology Secretary Michelle Donelan, highlighting its crucial role in elevating the UK to the zenith of online safety. Prioritizing children’s online experience and their mental health, the OSB ensures swift retribution against digital malefactors and the eradication of content deemed illegal offline.
Enforced Proactivity: The law mandates platforms to rigorously enforce protective measures, validate age limits, and streamline avenues for reporting discrepancies.
The legislation grants internet users the power to control their digital experience, allowing adults to sift through content they deem harmful.
Ensuring Legal Fidelity: It requires platforms to honor their commitments made via terms and conditions and to efficiently implement user protective measures.
This legislation excels by addressing a multitude of online abuses, including those against women and girls, and simplifies legal proceedings for non-consensual sharing of intimate imagery. Advocates applaud the bill as a crucial first step in shielding women and girls from digital abuse.
The bill’s scope has been further expanded to tackle content showcasing animal cruelty and torture displayed to UK users, even if perpetrated abroad, reflecting the government’s vision for a universally safer online environment.
Dame Melanie Dawes, Ofcom Chief Executive, welcomes this significant breakthrough, emphasizing its contribution to a safer digital existence for UK citizens.
Enforcement and Dialogue: Ofcom is primed to uphold the new laws and will commence discussions on the expectations from tech firms immediately after Royal Assent of the bill.
The Online Safety Bill marks a colossal advancement in online safety legislation. It beautifully intertwines empowerment and stringent responsibility, delivering unparalleled protection and emerging as a paradigm in combating online harmful activities and abuses.
This transformative bill, enriched by the collaborative spirit of diverse stakeholders, is shaping a secure and dignified digital realm, signaling the termination of the lawless era of the internet.
