Government giving ‘serious consideration’ to calls to act over hate on smaller sites
Tory and Labour MPs have reacted to warnings from campaigners against antisemitism regarding danger posed by small online platforms as government legislates against online hate
Lee Harpin is the Jewish News's political editor
The Government is giving “serious consideration” to calls to amend legislation aimed at tackling online hate to include tougher sanctions on smaller internet platforms if they spread antisemitic abuse.
Jewish News had earlier revealed how the Conservative MP Andrew Percy had warned that smaller online platforms such as BitChute, 8kun, previously 8chan, or Minds “are a haven for white supremacists, incels, conspiracy theorists and antisemites.”
Speaking in the Commons during the second reading of the Online Harms Bill, Percy highlighted the need for the government to amend its Online Safety legislation to recognise the danger posed by smaller platforms, alongside more recognised outlets like Facebook, Twitter and YouTube.
In a further significant intervention Alex Davies-Jones, Labour’s shadow Digital Culture, Media and Sport minister, also spoke out on Tuesday telling MPs the “smaller platforms” were used by those “highly motivated to promote extremely dangerous content.”
Davies-Jones praised the “fantastic work” of organisations such as the Antisemitism Policy Trust and Hope Not Hate in raising the issue with MPs of all parties.
One government source has now confirmed to Jewish News that the government “is listening on this issue.”
Another said they were now hopeful of a “win” and that the Online Safety Bill would be “improved” to include the amendment regarding small platforms.
Significantly Chris Philp, the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, has confirmed to MPs:”I will give some thought to how the question of small but high-risk platforms can be covered.
“However, all platforms, regardless of size, are in scope with regard to content that is illegal and to content that is harmful to children.”
At present, the Online Safety Bill forces so-called ‘Category 1’ companies – the largest online platforms with the widest reach including the most popular social media platforms – to address content harmful to adults that falls below the threshold of a criminal offence.
Smaller platforms such as BitChute and 8kun, would escape this demand as they are currently not classed as Category 1 due to their smaller size online.
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