Bill on illegal and harmful content online is 'loose, broad and vague,' says Jamie Stone

THE wording in a UK Government bill on illegal and harmful content online is "loose, broad and vague," according to far north MP, Jamie Stone.

The Online Safety Bill introduces new "duties of care" on social media platforms such as Facebook, Twitter and WhatsApp, and search services like Google. However, Mr Stone says it does not clearly define what "harmful" content is but instead leaves it to the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media, and Sport, Nadine Dorries, to decide.

The Caithness, Sutherland and easter Ross MP said: "This bill is long overdue and yet still has a long way to go. Now more than ever, we need legislation to regulate the online world from fake news to cyber flashing.

"The Government is on the right track with this bill, but there is still so much missing from it. Definitions of harmful content are loose, broad, and vague. The bill gives too much power to the Secretary of State to make final decisions on what is considered harmful, rather than bringing it to Parliament to decide democratically - something the Government has had three years to do but has chosen not to.

The Liberal Democrat MP added: "What's worse, it looks like the Government are going to attempt to pass a lot of the real meat of this bill through secondary legislation, meaning it won't be debating in Parliament. This is sly, sneaky, and dishonest. I will be keeping a close eye on what the Government tries to pass under the radar."

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