Ten social media firms snub invite for UK talks

Culture Secretary Matt Hancock has admitted the UK Government does not have the power it needs over social media companies after ten firms snubbed his invitation for talks.

The 14 largest companies were invited to a meeting with the Cabinet minister, but just four attended.

Mr Hancock has said new laws will be introduced to tackle the internet’s “Wild West” to make Britain the “safest place in the world” to be online.

He told BBC One’s Andrew Marr Show: “One of the problems we have got is that we engage with Facebook, Google and Twitter and they get all of the Press, they get all of the complaints in the public debate, but there’s now actually a far greater number of social media platforms like musical.ly.

“They didn’t show up and the companies have now got over a million on their site.” When it was put to him that the failure of the companies to show up to the meeting, along with Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg’s refusal to appear before MPS, showed Britain did not have the power it needed, Mr Hancock said: “I very much agree with you and that’s one of the reasons we are legislating.

“The fact that only four companies turned up when I invited the 14 biggest in gave me a big impetus to drive this proposal to legislate through.”

Mr Hancock wants all users of social media to have their age verified.