Amidst a growing consensus that social media and online platforms must be subject to public regulation, the United Kingdom has stepped up to do just that. In doing so, it has made a lot of people very angry. Read the rest of this entry »
The White Paper on Online Harms. Keep in mind the bigger picture – Damian Tambini
18 04 2019
Protests that the government proposals for a duty of care on social media are a threat to free speech appear to be missing the point. European standards on freedom of expression give states ample justification for regulating speech that is harmful or undermines national security – if regulations are proportionate, prescribed by law and pursue a legitimate aim. Read the rest of this entry »
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Tags: Damian Tambini, On Lne Harms White Paper
Categories : Government and Policy, Media Regulation, Social Media
The Online Harms White Paper: its approach to disinformation, and the challenges of regulation – Emma Goodman
13 04 2019
A new Online Harms White Paper, published jointly by the UK government’s Department for Digital, Media, Culture and Sport and the Home Office, calls for a new system of regulation for tech companies with the goal of preventing online harm. Read the rest of this entry »
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Tags: LSE. Media Policy Project, Online Harms White Paper
Categories : Media Regulation, Social Media
News: Government Publishes White Paper on “Online Harms”, proposes “duty of care” and independent regulation
9 04 2019
On 8 April 2019 the UK Government published its long awaited “Online Harms White Paper” [pdf]. This aims to reduce the diffusion of harmful content on the internet. The White Paper was launched at the British Library with a speech by the Home Secretary Sajid Javid. The Executive Summary can be found here. Read the rest of this entry »
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Tags: Onlne Harms, White Paper
Categories : Internet, Media Regulation, Social Media
Zuckerberg’s ‘new rules’ for the internet must move from words to actions – Andrew Quodling
7 04 2019
After years of rejecting calls for increased regulatory oversight of Facebook, founder and CEO Mark Zuckerberg has now called for more cooperation with government in dealing with problems posed by internet platforms and emergent internet technologies. Read the rest of this entry »
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Tags: Facebook, Mark Zuckerberg
Categories : Media Regulation, Social Media
Case Law, Australia: O’Reilly v Edgar, Fact free Facebook Posts, $250,000 damages – Gabrielle Hunter
24 03 2019
In the case of O’Reilly v Edgar ([2019] QSC 24) the Supreme Court of Queensland awarded Kelvin O’Reilly, the CEO of a go-kart racing organisation, $270 658.71 in damages, including aggravated damages, for defamatory posts by a Facebook troll. Read the rest of this entry »
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Tags: Gabrielle Hunter, Gazette of Law and Journalism
Categories : Australia, Caselaw, Libel, Social Media
Preventing social media harm: an idea – Simon Carne
22 03 2019
There are widespread calls to regulate social media. Hardly a day goes by without some new outrage which eclipses what we have seen already. One of the great problems for anyone wishing to put a stop to the abuse is that social media users can easily make themselves anonymous Read the rest of this entry »
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Tags: Simon Carne
Categories : Media Regulation, Social Media
Forcing online platforms to remove footage of violent attacks: could privacy help? – Jelena Gligorijevic
21 03 2019
The attack on two mosques in Christchurch, New Zealand, last week saw the perpetrator publish footage of his violent attack, as it was happening, online. That footage was republished on various platforms as well as by some news media outlets. Read the rest of this entry »
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Tags: Jelena Gligorijević, Platforms
Categories : Privacy, Social Media
Four ways social media platforms could stop the spread of hateful content in aftermath of terror attacks – Bertie Vidgen
20 03 2019
The deadly attack on two mosques in Christchurch, New Zealand, in which 50 people were killed and many others critically injured, was streamed live on Facebook by the man accused of carrying it out. It was then quickly shared across social media platforms. Read the rest of this entry »
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Tags: Bertie Vidgen, The Conversation
Categories : Media Regulation, Social Media
A Ten Point Rule of Law Test for a Social Media Duty of Care – Graham Smith
19 03 2019
All the signs are that the government will shortly propose a duty of care on social media platforms aimed at reducing the risk of harm to users. DCMS Secretary of State Jeremy Wright wrote recently: Read the rest of this entry »
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Tags: Cyberleagle, Graham Smith
Categories : Media Regulation, Social Media
