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Online Safety Bill

Publication

  • March 2022

The Government has introduced an Online Safety Bill to bolster regulation of the internet. It risks unfashionable views – like biblical teaching on sexual ethics – being censored because some people don’t like them. This could profoundly limit religious freedom and debate. If something is legal to say offline, it should be allowed online.

References

References

  1. 1 Independent online, 27 June 2019, see https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/theresa-may-facebook-youtube-terrorists-live-streaming-g20-a8977846.html as at 18 February 2022
  2. 2 Mail Online, 7 February 2022, see https://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-10485227/Facebook-whistleblower-Frances-Haugen-warns-teens-killing-Instagram.html as at 18 February 2022
  3. 3 Clause 47 of the Bill
  4. 4 See Clauses 45 and 46 of the Bill
  5. 5 The Telegraph online, 22 May 2019, see https://www.telegraph.co.uk/women/life/meet-meghan-murphy-transphobic-feminist-booted-twitter-wont/ as at 18 February 2022
  6. 6 Transsexuality’, Christian Medical Fellowship, see https://www.cmf.org.uk/advocacy/sex-and-relationships/transsexuality/ as at 18 February 2022
  7. 7 ‘Why I Am Permanently Banned From Twitter And Why This Should Make You Worry’, Miranda Yardley blog, 24 May 2018, see https://mirandayardley.com/en/i-permanently-banned-twitter-make-worry/ as at 18 February 2022
  8. 8 ‘Twitter Censors Focus on the Family’s The Daily Citizen’, Daly Focus: Focus on the Family, see https://jimdaly.focusonthefamily.com/twitter-censors-focus-on-the-familys-the-daily-citizen/ as at 18 February 2022
  9. 9 The Guardian online, 27 June 2020, see https://www.theguardian.com/culture/2020/jun/27/twitter-closes-graham-linehan-account-after-trans-comment as at 18 February 2022
  10. 10 Education (No. 2) Act 1986, Section 43
  11. 11 Oral evidence: The Future of Public Service Broadcasting: Digital, Culture, Media and Sport Committee, 15 December 2020, HC 156 https://committees.parliament.uk/oralevidence/1419/html/
  12. 12 The Times, 20 May 2021
  13. 13 Metro online, 8 June 2021, see https://metro.co.uk/2021/06/08/bbc-radio-4-criticised-for-trans-issues-debate-with-3-cisgender-men-14735981/ as at 21 February 2022; ‘Stonewall’s “divisive” actions are shedding support for lobby group’, The Christian Institute, YouTube, 11 June 2021, see https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I-QgoODTsQY&t=153s as at 21 February 2022
  14. 14 Draft Online Safety Bill, Report of Session 2021-22, Joint Committee on the Draft Online Safety Bill, HL 129 and HC 609, 14 December 2021, para. 176
  15. 15 Draft Online Safety Bill, Report of Session 2021-22, Joint Committee on the Draft Online Safety Bill, HL 129 and HC 609, 14 December 2021, para. 53
  16. 16 Tackling Online Abuse, Second Report of Session 2021-22, House of Commons Petitions Committee, HC 766, 1 February 2022, para. 46
  17. 17 gov.uk, 4 February 2022, see https://www.gov.uk/government/news/online-safety-law-to-be-strengthened-to-stamp-out-illegal-content as at 3 March 2022
  18. 18 ‘The UK Risks Becoming a World Leader in Online Censorship’, Big Brother Watch, 14 May 2021, see https://bigbrotherwatch.org.uk/2021/05/the-uk-risks-becoming-a-world-leader-in-online-censorship as at 21 February 2022
  19. 19 ‘Big Brother Watch Response to the Government’s Online Safety Bill’, Big Brother Watch, 12 May 2021, see https://bigbrotherwatch.org.uk/2021/05/big-brother-watch-response-to-the-governments-online-safety-bill/ as at 21 February 2022
  20. 20 Right to Type, Index on Censorship, June 2021, page 3
  21. 21 ‘Parliament must determine what is and isn't permitted, not Ofcom or media platforms’, Centre for Policy Studies, 12 May 2021, see https://cps.org.uk/media/post/2021/parliament-must-determine-what-is-and-isn-t-permitted-n/ as at 21 February 2022
  22. 22 BBC News online, 23 June 2021, see https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-57569336 as at 21 February 2022
  23. 23 Safeguarding Free Speech in the Online Safety Bill, Free Speech Union, January 2022, page 2
  24. 24 ‘Online Abuse: Why Management Liability Isn’t the Answer’, Open Rights Group, see https://www.openrightsgroup.org/blog/online-abuse-why-management-liability-isnt-the-answer/ as at 21 February 2022
  25. 25 BBC News online, 26 April 2017, see https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-39715659 as at 21 February 2022
  26. 26 Daily Mail, 23 January 2019
  27. 27 CNN Business, 15 March 2019, see https://edition.cnn.com/2019/03/15/tech/facebook-new-zealand-content-moderation/index.html as at 21 February 2022
  28. 28 ‘Pornography has deeply troubling effects on young people, but there are ways we can minimise the harm The Conversation, 5 January 2020, https://theconversation.com/pornography-has-deeply-troubling-effects-on-young-people-but-there-are-ways-we-can-minimise-the-harm-127319 as at 21 February 2022. See also Kuhn, S and Gallinat, J, ‘Brain Structure and Functional Connectivity Associated With Pornography Consumption’, JAMA Psychiatry, 71(7), July 2014, pages 827-834; Owens, E W, Behun, R J, Manning, J C et al, ‘The Impact of Internet Pornography on Adolescents: A Review of the Research’, Sexual Addiction and Compulsivity, 19(1-2), 2012, pages 99-122; Hald, G M, Malamuth, N M and Yuen, C, ‘Pornography and Attitudes Supporting Violence Against Women: Revisiting the Relationship in Nonexperimental Studies’, Aggressive Behavior, 36, 2010, pages 14-20; Flood, M, ‘The Harms of Pornography Exposure Among Children and Young People’, Child Abuse Review, 18, 2009, pages 384-400
  29. 29 ‘Children see pornography as young as seven, new report finds’, BBFC, 26 September 2019, see, https://www.bbfc.co.uk/about-us/news/children-see-pornography-as-young-as-seven-new-report-finds as at 21 February 2022

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