NSPCC wants abuse law as ‘priority’
ENACTING a statutory duty of care to protect children from online harms must be “an utmost priority” of the Prime Minister in next week’s Queen’s Speech, campaigners insist.
In a speech at a conference on online child abuse today, Peter Wanless, the chief executive of the National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children (NSPCC), will urge Boris Johnson to include the duty in Monday’s speech setting out his forthcoming legislative programme, and for there to be a draft Bill published by Easter.
“It is imperative that the Prime Minister – whoever they are – treats this issue as an utmost priority,” he will say. “The Government must hold its nerve, and we will keep up the pressure.
“The tech companies aren’t exactly embracing the importance of keeping children safe online. When child abuse images are identified, they are obliged to act. But they are under no duty to act proactively to root these images out and help us go after those generating and circulating such images.”
His call has been backed by Damian Collins, chairman of the Commons culture committee, and by the Labour Party. Government sources indicated it would be in the Queen’s Speech, which was currently being “finalised”.
The Government’s White Paper on online harms proposed a new regulator to enforce a duty of care, with tech firms’ executives held legally responsible for breaches. The watchdog would have powers to fine firms and potentially shut down services if they ignored requests to take action.
Priti Patel, the Home Secretary, has demanded Facebook halts its plans to encrypt messages, but campaigners are concerned that there is no explicit timetable for the necessary legislation.
Mr Wanless is accusing Facebook of putting profits before child safety with the planned encryption of its Messenger service, which could wipe out two thirds of the images referred to police by preventing access to content.
“This is a scandal … a commercially fuelled decision contemptuously disregarding any concept of child safety,” Mr Wanless will say.
Mr Collins said: “It is time for the Government to come forward with proposals for legislation.” Nicky Morgan, the Culture Secretary, is due to appear before his committee next Wednesday, when he said she would be challenged over the timetable.
In a letter to Mr Johnson and Ms Morgan, Tom Watson, Labour’s deputy leader, said: “Since the change in Prime Minister and Cabinet, we have heard very little about regulating online harms. The Queen’s Speech is the chance to set that right.”