MPS: Social media should comply with enforceable ethics guidelines
SOCIAL media platforms should comply with a compulsory code of ethics overseen by an independent regulator to tackle harmful or illegal content on their sites, a Commons committee has demanded.
In a major report, MPS warned that democracy was at risk from the “malicious and relentless” targeting of citizens with disinformation and adverts from unidentifiable sources, as they called for reform to electoral communication laws.
The Digital, Culture, Media and Sport Committee said ethics guidelines were needed to set out what is and what is not acceptable on social media, including harmful and illegal content that has been flagged up to platforms by users or identified by companies related to the content.
If tech companies fail to meet their obligations under the code then an independent regulator should be able to launch legal proceedings against them and have the power to issue large fines, the MPS said.
They wrote: “Social media companies cannot hide behind the claim of being merely a ‘platform’ and maintain that they have no responsibility themselves in regulating the content of their sites.”
The report also rounded on Facebook chief Mark Zuckerberg, who was accused of “contempt” towards the committee by refusing to appear before it last year.
The committee’s final report into disinformation and fake news also said electoral law was “not fit for purpose” and should be updated to reflect the move to “micro-targeted” online political campaigning.
They called for a comprehensive review of the current rules and regulations surrounding political work during elections and referenda, and urged the Government to put pressure on social media companies to publicise instances of disinformation.
Ministers were also asked to reveal the number of investigations being carried out into Russian interference in UK politics.
The Government is expected to publish a white paper later this year on proposals to reform laws to make the internet and social media safer.
Committee chairman Damian Collins said: “Democracy is at risk from the malicious and relentless targeting of citizens with disinformation and personalised ‘dark adverts’ from unidentifiable sources, delivered through the major social media platforms we use every day. Much of this is directed from agencies working in foreign countries, including Russia.
“The big tech companies are failing in the duty of care they owe to their users to act against harmful content, and to respect their data privacy rights.
“We need a radical shift in the balance of power between the platforms and the people. The age of inadequate self-regulation must come to an end. The rights of the citizen need to be established in statute, by requiring the tech companies to adhere to a code of conduct written into law by Parliament, and overseen by an independent regulator.”
An Electoral Commission spokesman said: “We agree that reform of electoral law is urgently needed.”