The United Kingdom plans to impose large fines on social media companies and other online organizations if they fail to limit or completely remove harmful content such as child abuse or terrorist material from their platforms , according to information released on Tuesday. The companies will also have to better protect their users from online dangers.
Ireland has already imposed its first fine on Twitter for a data breach, making it the first US social media company to be penalized by Europe following the tightening of measures (GDPR).
Under legislative proposals that the UK government plans to launch next year, technology companies that allow users to post their own material or talk to others online could face fines of up to 18 million pounds ($24 million) or 10% of their annual total revenue, whichever is higher, when they fail to comply with the rules.
The proposals, included in the UK government's online safety bill, will have additional requirements for the largest social media companies with "high-risk capabilities", which are expected to include Facebook, TikTok, Instagram and Twitter.
These companies will have to meet specific requirements to assess whether there is a “reasonably foreseeable risk” that the content or activity they host could cause “significant physical or psychological harm to adults,” such as false information about coronavirus vaccines. They will have to clarify what is allowed and how they will handle it.
All companies will have to take extra steps to protect children on their platforms. The new regulations will apply to any company whose online services are accessible in the UK.
The UK government also plans to impose criminal penalties on senior executives of these companies if they fail to take the new rules seriously, for example if they fail to respond quickly to requests for information from regulators.
The European Union is also expected to unveil its own long-awaited overhaul of digital regulations. The EU's proposals will include measures aimed at reining in tech giants. Online platforms will take more responsibility for their goods and services, such as removing malicious users and removing illegal content such as hate speech.
