18/07/2023
After nearly four years of discussions surrounding the regulation of big tech companies and social media platforms, the Online Safety Bill is finally taking shape. While it may not be a perfect solution, there is a general consensus that some form of regulation is better than none. One of the notable changes to the bill is the removal of duties related to "legal but harmful" content for adults. Rather, the bill now focuses on requiring platforms to remove content that violates their own Terms of Service. Additionally, social media companies will be required to provide adult users with the option to hide certain potentially harmful content that may not be illegal but is unwanted.
While these changes empower adult users to have more control over the content they see, there remains a concern regarding the default accessibility of harmful content. Without effective age verification systems, there is a risk that such content will still reach child users.
By placing the responsibility on tech companies to enforce their own Terms of Service, the bill allows platforms to set their own rules. While the bill represents progress in making the internet a safer place, some question its effectiveness due to the reliance on self-regulation by tech companies. The Bill's lack of a universal standard for internet safety raises doubts about the impact of the upcoming regulation.
