Contributions
2,978 recent contributions in Hansard
HANSARDOnline Safety Bill (Sixth sitting)Once again, I agree with the point about transparency and the need to have those matters brought into the light of day. We heard from Frances Haugen how Facebook—now Meta—actively…07 Jun 2022HANSARDOnline Safety Bill (Sixth sitting)We have deliberately avoided being too prescriptive about precisely how the duty is met. We have pointed to age verification as an example of how the duty can be met without…07 Jun 2022HANSARDOnline Safety Bill (Sixth sitting)I thank my right hon. Friend for her remarks, in which she powerfully and eloquently set out how important the clause is to protecting children. She is right to point out that…07 Jun 2022HANSARDOnline Safety Bill (Sixth sitting)The Government obviously support the objective of these amendments, which is to prevent children from suffering the appalling sexual and physical abuse that the hon. Member for…07 Jun 2022HANSARDOnline Safety Bill (Sixth sitting)Once again, the Government recognise the intent behind these amendments and support the concept that people with multiple intersecting characteristics, or those who are members of…07 Jun 2022HANSARDOnline Safety Bill (Sixth sitting)Clearly, we are legislating here to cover, as I think we said this morning, 25,000 different companies. They all have different organisational structures, different personnel and…07 Jun 2022HANSARDOnline Safety Bill (Sixth sitting)I am anxious about time, but I will respond to that point because it is an important one. The hon. Lady is right to say that clause 10(6)(h) looks to identify the risks associated…07 Jun 2022HANSARDOnline Safety Bill (Sixth sitting)My right hon. Friend, as always, makes a very good point. The codes of practice will be important, particularly to enable Ofcom to levy fines where appropriate and then…07 Jun 2022HANSARDOnline Safety Bill (Sixth sitting)We discussed personal liability extensively this morning. As we discussed, there is personal liability in relation to providing information, with a criminal penalty of up to two…07 Jun 2022HANSARDOnline Safety Bill (Sixth sitting)Yes, and that is why governance is addressed in the clause as drafted. But the one thing that will really change the way the leadership of these companies thinks about this issue…07 Jun 2022HANSARDOnline Safety Bill (Sixth sitting)As I say, clause 10 already references the governance arrangements, but my strong view is that the only thing that will make these companies sit up and take notice—the only thing…07 Jun 2022HANSARDOnline Safety Bill (Sixth sitting)I agree with the hon. Lady that, as I said a second ago, those platforms are not doing enough to protect children. There is no question about that at all, and I think there is…07 Jun 2022HANSARDOnline Safety Bill (Sixth sitting)As the hon. Lady said, we discussed in the groupings for clauses 8 and 9 quite a few of the broad principles relating to children, but I will none the less touch on some of those…07 Jun 2022HANSARDOnline Safety Bill (Sixth sitting)The hon. Lady raises an interesting point about time. However, the clause 8(5)(d) uses the wording, “the level of risk of functionalities of the service facilitating the presence…07 Jun 2022HANSARDOnline Safety Bill (Sixth sitting)I thank my right hon. Friend for raising that. The risk assessments and, indeed, the duties arising under this Bill all apply to systems and processes—setting up systems and…07 Jun 2022HANSARDOnline Safety Bill (Sixth sitting)Very well; we will debate clause 9 separately. In that case, I will move on to amendments 19 and 20, which seek to address cross-platform risk. Again, we completely agree with the…07 Jun 2022HANSARDOnline Safety Bill (Sixth sitting)I think the group includes clause 9 stand part, but I will of course be guided by you, Ms Rees.07 Jun 2022HANSARDOnline Safety Bill (Sixth sitting)There is a “but” coming. We think that, in all cases apart from one, the Bill as drafted already addresses the matter. In the case of amendment 14, the risk assessment duties as…07 Jun 2022HANSARDOnline Safety Bill (Sixth sitting)It is a great pleasure to serve under your chairmanship, Ms Rees, and I am glad that this afternoon’s Committee proceedings are being broadcast to the world. Before we adjourned…07 Jun 2022HANSARDOnline Safety Bill (Fifth sitting)I thank the hon. Lady for her intervention and for the—07 Jun 2022