The Online Safety Bill may not be perfect but for the sake of children it’s at least a step in the right direction - Ian Moody

An ambitious law designed to make Britain the safest place to be online is due to be passed in October. At first glance, the Online Safety Bill (OSB) is the unlikely love child of ill-suited partners struggling to restrict dangerous content while simultaneously protecting free speech.
By Ian Moody
Published 30th Aug 2023, 06:00 BST

The new law, to be phased in over the next two years, will oversee certain websites accessible to UK users. These include social media platforms, search engines and sites selling age-restricted online services – regardless of where they are based in the world.

Currently passing through its final stages, the Bill focuses on four key areas: the removal of illegal online content, protecting children, restricting fraudulent online advertising and communication offences such as spreading fake but harmful information.

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Early versions of the Bill were described by critics as a ‘censor’s charter’, and parts of it have been diluted over time. Nevertheless, repeat offenders will potentially be fined up to £18m or 10 per cent of global revenue and company managers risk going to jail for up to two years. The Bill’s ‘triple shield’ of protection requires the removal of illegal content, expects platforms to remove content that breaches their own terms of service and provides adults with tools to regulate the content they see. Children will be automatically prevented from seeing illegal or otherwise harmful content without having to change any settings.

The Online Safety Bill is expected to become law in the autumn, but has faced a lengthy route to the statute book with repeated changes and delays to the proposed legislation. PIC: Dominic Lipinski/PA WireThe Online Safety Bill is expected to become law in the autumn, but has faced a lengthy route to the statute book with repeated changes and delays to the proposed legislation. PIC: Dominic Lipinski/PA Wire
The Online Safety Bill is expected to become law in the autumn, but has faced a lengthy route to the statute book with repeated changes and delays to the proposed legislation. PIC: Dominic Lipinski/PA Wire

Some content is already illegal, for example child sexual exploitation. The Bill will additionally make it an offence to show material that, among other things, glorifies suicide or promotes self-harm.

Websites showing content, or selling a service, that is legal but age-restricted may need to adopt technology that excludes anyone under-age. Similarly, social media platforms with a minimum user age (usually 13) will also need to tighten access.

These measures imply a need for age assurance technology, enabling a secure point of entry. Digital ID providers, such as our own platform Luciditi, use age-estimation AI to give quick and easy access to the majority of users. Those close to the age threshold will need to arrange access via age verification.

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Yorkshire businesses are advised to carry out a risk assessment to find out whether the OSB will affect them. Systems may need age-related adjustments and follow-up legislation will need to be monitored.

The Bill brings the UK in line with the rest of Europe now that the EU’s Digital Services Act has come into force. This takes a similar approach to the OSB, forcing more than 40 online giants including Facebook, X, Google and TikTok to better regulate content delivered within the EU.

In the UK, campaigners from all sides agree that something is needed even if some remain sceptical about the OSB. Modifications were made to the Bill in June, in part guided by the inquest into the death of Molly Russell. In 2017, Molly died at the age of 14 from an act of self-harm after seeing online images that, according to the coroner, “shouldn't have been available for a child to see."

Still, much remains to be clarified about the OSB.

The OSB may not be perfect. But for the sake of children across the country, it’s at least a step in the right direction.

Ian Moody is co-founder and CEO of software developer Arissian.

Related topics:Britain