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Online safety and online harms

Inquiry

The Sub-Committee will investigate how focus has shifted since the introduction of the Online Safety Strategy Green Paper in 2017, including concerns that the definition of harm is now too narrow and may fail to address issues such as non-state intervention in elections, racist abuse and content that contributes to self-harm and negative body image. It will also explore key omissions of the draft Bill, such as a general duty for tech companies to deal with reasonably foreseeable harms, a focus on transparency and due process mechanisms or regulatory powers to deal with urgent security threats and how any gaps can be filled before the Bill is finalised. Another focus will be on where lessons can be learnt from international efforts to regulate big tech, such as in France, Germany and Australia.

This inquiry by the House of Commons DCMS Sub-Committee is distinct from any work by the Joint Committee on the Draft Online Safety Bill, established by the House of Lords and the House of Commons on 23 July. 

This inquiry is no longer accepting evidence

The deadline for submissions was Friday 3 September 2021.

Reports, special reports and government responses

View all reports and responses
Eighth Report - The Draft Online Safety Bill and the legal but harmful debate
Inquiry Online safety and online harms
HC 1039
Report
Response to this report
Fifth Special Report - The Draft Online Safety Bill and the legal but harmful debate: Government Response to the Committee’s Eighth Report
HC 1221
Special Report
Fifth Special Report - The Draft Online Safety Bill and the legal but harmful debate: Government Response to the Committee’s Eighth Report
Inquiry Online safety and online harms
HC 1221
Special Report
Correspondence with Rt Hon Jacob Rees-Mogg MP, Leader of the House of Commons, re recommendations from the Joint Committee on the Online Safety Bill, 16 December 2021 and 7 January 2022
Inquiry Online safety and online harms
Correspondence
Correspondence with the Secretary of State for DCMS re Parliamentary scrutiny of online safety regime, 11 and 22 November 2021
Inquiry Online safety and online harms
Correspondence
Letter from the Chair to Rt Hon Nadine Dorries MP, Secretary of State for DCMS, relating to inflicting harm online, 22 September 2021
Inquiry Online safety and online harms
Correspondence

Oral evidence transcripts

View all oral evidence transcripts
1 February 2022
Inquiry Online safety and online harms
Witnesses Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, and Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport
Oral Evidence
18 January 2022
Inquiry Online safety and online harms
Witnesses YouTube, TikTok, Twitter, and Meta
Oral Evidence
14 December 2021
Inquiry Online safety and online harms
Witnesses Julie Inman Grant (Australian e-Safety Commissioner)
Oral Evidence
Professor Clare McGlynn (OSH0092)
The Age Verification Providers Association (OSH0091)
Internet Watch Foundation (OSH0088)

Other publications

No other publications published.

Contact us

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  • Email: cmscom@parliament.uk
  • Phone: 020 7219 6188 (general enquiries) | 020 7219 1679 (media enquiries)
  • Address: CMS Committee (Online Harms and Disinformation), House of Commons, London, SW1A 0AA