UK Tells Tech Giants to Provide Better Protection Against Anonymous Trolls
The UK is working to bring in new regulation that will keep internet users safe.
Social platforms will have to abide by more rules in the UK.
Tech companies will be asked to give UK social media users more control over who can interact with them online. This includes blocking interactions from other users who haven't had their identities verified by the platforms.
The demand is part of new measures designed to strengthen the upcoming Online Safety Bill, which the UK government is trying to pass. Previously known as the Online Harms Bill, the new legislation has been years in the making. A draft copy of the bill published last May detailed how UK media watchdog Ofcom will be charged with regulating tech companies in Britain, including fining them big bucks for noncompliance.
Sparked by racist abuse against British footballers, death and rape threats against female politicians, and other abuse aimed at minorities, lawmakers on Friday added two new duties to the bill. The first is that users of the biggest and most popular social media sites be given the ability to block anyone who has not had their identity verified. The second will require tech companies to provide tools that allow users to choose whether they want to be be exposed to legal but harmful content.
"We have listened to calls for us to strengthen our new online safety laws and are announcing new measures to put greater power in the hands of social media users themselves," said UK Digital Secretary Nadine Dorries in a statement. "People will now have more control over who can contact them and be able to stop the tidal wave of hate served up to them by rogue algorithms."