- Online safety legislation protecting children will be debated in the Commons
- Comes as new plans to support vulnerable people and fight falsities online are launched
- Funding boost will help people's critical thinking online through a new expert Media Literacy Taskforce alongside proposals to pay for training for teachers and library workers
Parliamentarians will debate the government's groundbreaking Online Safety Bill which requires social media platforms, search engines and other apps and websites allowing people to post content to improve the way they protect their users.
Ofcom, the regulator, will have the power to fine companies failing to comply with the laws up to ten per cent of their annual global turnover, force them to improve their practices and block non-compliant sites. Crucially, the laws have strong measures to safeguard children from harmful content such as pornography and child sexual abuse.
Ahead of Tuesday's debate, the government is launching the next phase of its Online Media Literacy Strategy. It aims to help vulnerable and 'hard-to-reach' people, such as those who are digitally excluded or from lower socio-economic backgrounds, navigate the internet safely and teach them to spot falsities online.
The Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) will spend £2.5 million to advance the plan through the next year including on training, research and providing expert advice. This includes a new Media Literacy Taskforce featuring experts from a range of disciplines and a boost to the Media Literacy Fund, which gives teachers and local service providers the skills they need to teach people to improve their critical thinking of what they see online.
Digital Secretary Nadine Dorries said:
The time has come to properly protect people online and this week MPs will debate the most important legislation in the internet age.
Our groundbreaking Online Safety Bill will make the UK the safest place to surf the web. It has been significantly strengthened following a lengthy period of engagement with people in politics, wider society and industry.
We want to arm everyone with the skills to navigate the internet safely, so today we're also announcing a funding boost and plans
