# UK to fine tech companies that fail to remove self-harm material
Author:  Pal Sinha, Barnali 
Author URL: https://financedigest.com/author/pal-sinha-barnali
Published: 2022-11-28
Category: NEWS
Category URL: https://financedigest.com/category/news
Meta Title: UK Outlines Plan to Fine Social Media Firms in New Online
Meta Description: Government plans fines for social media companies failing to remove harmful material, aiming to protect vulnerable users. Details coming next month.
URL: https://financedigest.com/uk-to-fine-tech-companies-that-fail-to-remove-self-harm-materialhtml

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By David Milliken

LONDON (Reuters) – Britain’s government intends to make it illegal to encourage others to harm themselves online and will fine social media companies that fail to remove such material, as part of a revamp of legislation governing online behaviour.

Promoting suicide is already illegal, but Britain’s digital, culture, media and sport ministry said in a statement that it now wanted to require social media firms to block a wider range of content.

[“Social media](https://www.financedigest.com/saudi-snitching-app-turns-citizens-into-social-media-police.html "Saudi snitching app turns citizens into social media police") firms can no longer remain silent bystanders … and they’ll face fines for allowing this abusive and destructive behaviour to continue on their [platforms under our laws,” Digital](https://www.financedigest.com/de-surinaamsche-bank-expands-relationship-with-fiserv-to-upgrade-core-banking-platform-and-add-new-digital-banking-capabilities.html "De Surinaamsche Bank Expands Relationship with Fiserv to Upgrade Core Banking Platform and Add New Digital Banking Capabilities") Secretary Michelle Donelan said.

The Conservative [government said the proposals](https://www.financedigest.com/carrefour-unveils-30-euro-shopping-basket-in-spain-after-government-price-cut-proposal.html "Carrefour unveils 30 euro shopping basket in Spain after government price cut proposal") aimed to block images and videos similar to those viewed by Molly Russell, a 14-year-old whose death in 2017 sparked ongoing public concern.

In September, the coroner investigating her death ruled that [social media platforms](https://www.financedigest.com/how-to-use-social-media-platforms-to-successfully-scale-your-business.html "How to use social media platforms to successfully scale your business") had fed content to her which “romanticised acts of self-harm by young people.

Under the proposals, social media [companies will have to remove and limit users’ exposure to material that deliberately encourages people](https://www.financedigest.com/anyone-can-write-assignment-need-people-able-apply-new-skills-workplace-says-top-investment-management-company.html "“Anyone can write an assignment, but we need people to be able to apply their new skills to the workplace,” says top investment management company") to harm themselves.

[Last week the government said the new legislation](https://www.financedigest.com/most-uk-smes-spent-600-hours-over-the-last-year-preparing-for-new-gdpr-legislation.html "Most UK SMEs spent 600 hours over the last year preparing for new GDPR legislation") would also ban the distribution of sexually explicit images that have been manipulated to look like they feature someone who has not consented to appear in them.

Full details of the latest proposals – including the criminal penalties faced by people who promote self-harm, and the scale of fines faced by companies – will [come next](https://www.financedigest.com/whats-coming-next-in-the-clearing-and-settlement-world.html "What’s coming next in the clearing and settlement world?") month when legislative amendments are put before parliament.

The wider legislation incorporating such penalties, known as the Online Safety Bill, has had a [slow passage through parliament since](https://www.financedigest.com/apple-heads-for-largest-q3-revenue-drop-since-2016-as-iphone-sales-slow.html "Apple heads for largest Q3 revenue drop since 2016 as iPhone sales slow") its first draft in May 2021.

Earlier versions sought to [ban “legal](https://www.financedigest.com/u-s-abortion-ruling-ignites-legal-battles-over-state-bans.html "U.S. abortion ruling ignites legal battles over state bans") but harmful” material online, drawing criticism from tech companies and free-speech campaigners who said the definition was too vague and could be used to arbitrarily criminalise otherwise legal behaviour.

However, the bill has been strongly supported by children’s and mental health charities, and by [people seeking to limit racist and sexist abuse](https://www.financedigest.com/55-of-people-who-regularly-play-sport-dont-think-being-verbally-abusive-to-another-player-makes-them-a-bad-sport.html "55% OF PEOPLE WHO REGULARLY PLAY SPORT DON’T THINK BEING VERBALLY ABUSIVE TO ANOTHER PLAYER MAKES THEM A BAD SPORT") online.

(Reporting by David Milliken; Editing by Mark Heinrich)


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