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The days of the Internet like the Wild West can be numbered.
The UK government has presented its revolutionary new bill that will regulate social networking, search, messaging and even file sharing platforms for content that causes "online damage". It is a generic term that includes content related to sexual abuse, violence, hate speech and terrorism, self-harm and sexting of minors.
The proposals, nicknamed "the first global laws on online security" in a statement sent by email, coincide with the global pressure exerted on US companies in the technology sector to prevent the dissemination on their site self-destructive, terrorist or hateful content. It also comes at a time when Silicon Valley leaders, such as Mark Zuckerberg, are calling for regulation.
Facebook, YouTube and the more specialized 8chan group have recently been the subject of harsh criticism when the alleged shooter from Christchurch attacked two mosques and broadcast all the live event. In February, Instagram had banned "extreme" images of self-harm after the suicide of British teenager Molly Russell.
Read more: The leaders of Facebook, YouTube and Snapchat could be named, humiliated and held personally liable for the harmful content under the new UK laws.
The proposals, presented in a white paper from the UK Ministry of Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, include a new independent regulatory body to monitor harmful content on these platforms.
It will have the power to impose heavy fines and even hold individual leaders accountable for non-compliance with any new law. Fines could reach billions of dollars for larger companies, Culture Minister Margot James told Business Insider in February.
Technology companies should also comply with a "duty of care", which would require them to take measures to protect users and to deal with illegal or harmful content.
Other proposals include:
- Forcing social media companies to publish transparency reports on harmful content about their services and the measures taken to combat them.
- Encourage businesses to respond quickly to user complaints, which could be similar to the controversial "NetzDG" law in Germany.
- Codes of practice that may require technology companies to minimize the spread of misinformation during elections.
- A framework to help technology companies integrate security features into their applications right from the start.
- A media education strategy to help people recognize misinformation and malicious behavior.
In a statement, British Prime Minister Theresa May: "The Internet can be a great way to connect people around the world – but it's been too long since these companies are not doing enough to protect users, especially children and young people , harmful content.
"It's not enough, and it's time to do things differently." We listened to activists and parents, and we have a duty of care to Internet companies to keep people safe. line must begin to take responsibility for their platforms, and help restore public confidence in this technology. "
Big Tech wants more details on how new laws work
Proposals have a long way to go to become legislation, and what ends up becoming a law may seem quite different from the policy document released Monday after further industry and public consultations.
The Internet Association, a lobby group with Facebook, Google, Snap, Reddit and Twitter members, said the proposals needed to be tightened.
Executive Director of the UK, Daniel Dyeball, said in a statement: "The internet industry is committed to working with the government and civil society to make the UK a safe place for However, to do this, we need targeted and practical proposals to: implement for large and small platforms.
"We also need to protect the freedom of expression and the services that consumers love.The scope of the recommendations is extremely broad, and decisions on how to regulate what is banned online must be to be taken by Parliament. "
Coadec, a group lobbying on behalf of young companies, said that too strict regulations could punish small businesses that have neither the money nor the influence of Facebook and Facebook. Google.
Executive Director Dom Hallas said: "Everyone, including UK startups, shares the goal of a safer internet – but these projects will consolidate the tech giants and not punish them.
"The broad reach of the proposals means that they cover not only social media, but virtually any Internet, from file sharing to newspaper commentary sections, and those most affected will not be the tech giants that the government claims to target, but all others benefit to the largest platforms with the resources and legal power to comply – and limit the ability of UK startups to face fair competition "
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