Pornography sites will need to incorporate age verification or estimation to stop children from looking at sensitive content under amendments to the Online Safety Bill.
Topics that are also coming under scrutiny in the amendments are the promotion of suicide, self-harm and eating disorders.
Changes to the Online Safety Bill, passing in the House of Lords today, would see executives of technology firms be “personally responsible” for the safety of children.
Minister for Technology and the Digital Economy Paul Scully said: “This government will not allow the lives of our children to be put at stake whenever they go online; whether that is through facing abuse or viewing harmful content that could go on to have a devastating impact on their lives.”
The bill would also grant Ofcom new powers to access a child’s social media account if asked by a coroner to see if there is a link to their death. The regulatory body is conducting research into app stores’ role in the obtaining of harmful content by children.
Alterations to the bill for adults require sites to now “proactively” ask adults if they want to use tools to not see sensitive harmful content. Sites must not stow away this option within the settings either.
Digital ID startup Yoti’s CEO and co-founder, Robin Tombs, thinks a “sensible balance” of protection and freedoms is required.
“Supporters and critics may never agree on what the right balance is but the UK bill, now likely to be passed, reflects the unease many people around the world have with the under-regulated status quo.”
Online Safety Bill Exemption Open letter
The Online Safety Bill has not been without controversy. An open letter published today with signatories including the Wikimedia Foundation is calling for public interest projects to be excused from the Online Safety Bill.
The letter states: “The UK’s Online Safety Bill addresses important safety issues to protect children and adults online. However, in its current state, the bill unduly threatens the survival and welfare of projects that prioritise the public interest over profits.
“The bill neglects to protect free knowledge, privacy, freedom of speech, and the strength of civic society in the UK.”
Big Brother Watch, CILIP Scotland and the London College of Communication have also signed the open letter.
The letter asks that an extra paragraph is inserted to Schedule 1 of the bill for public interest projects to be exempt.
Wikimedia UK has already highlighted concerns with the Online Safety Bill’s ninth amendment, which would see a barrister authorisation for additions or changes to website content.
Messaging apps WhatsApp and Signal have also written to the government over concerns about how the bill might weaken end-to-end encryption.
WhatsApp has said it would not weaken its encryption standards and Signal has declared it would exit the UK if forced to scrap encryption.