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1719222

registered interest
date	20/05/2024
answering body	Department for Science, Innovation and Technology
answering dept id	216
answering dept short name	Science, Innovation and Technology
answering dept sort name	Science, Innovation and Technology
hansard heading	X Corp: Disinformation
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what steps the Counter disinformation unit has taken to help X tackle QAon disinformation on its platform.
tabling member constituency	South Swindon
tabling member printed	Sir Robert Buckland
uin	27030
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 23/05/2024 answer text <p>In October 2023 the Counter Disinformation Unit became the National Security and Online Information Team (the NSOIT). The name more accurately reflects the team’s revised remit and function, which is to tackle the greatest national security risks facing the UK from mis and disinformation, specifically looking at threats posed by foreign states, risks to elections and from the use of AI and deepfakes. This revised remit is kept under regular review.</p><p> </p><p>NSOIT’s remit does not include working with individual platforms to tackle mis or disinformation from certain individuals or groups. In specific circumstances, the NSOIT may share online material with platforms where it is in line with ministerial steers, is on an issue within the team’s remit, and where the content appears to be in breach of the platform’s terms of service. Social media platforms decide whether or not content is a breach of their terms of service and, if so, what action to take.</p> answering member constituency Meriden answering member printed Saqib Bhatti question first answered 23/05/2024 16:15:31 answering member 4818 label Biography information for Saqib Bhatti
tabling member	4106 label Biography information for Sir Robert Buckland

1719091

registered interest
date	17/05/2024
answering body	Department for Science, Innovation and Technology
answering dept id	216
answering dept short name	Science, Innovation and Technology
answering dept sort name	Science, Innovation and Technology
hansard heading	Online Safety Act 2023: Freedom of Expression
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, if she will make an assessment of the potential implications for her policies of the recommendations on the inclusion of (a) human rights and (b) due process principles in Ofcom guidance to companies relating to the Online Safety Act 2023 in the article by The Open Rights Group entitled A dangerous precedent for global censorship, published on 4 March 2024.
tabling member constituency	Romford
tabling member printed	Andrew Rosindell
uin	26856
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 23/05/2024 answer text <p>The government recognises the importance of upholding users’ rights to free expression and privacy online. This is why the Online Safety Act 2023 has built strong safeguards for freedom of expression and privacy into the legislative framework. For example, all providers are required to give particular regard to the importance of protecting users’ freedom of expression and privacy rights when implementing measures to comply with their new safety duties. In addition, major online platforms – known as Category 1 services under the Act - will be required to put in place particular safeguards for journalism and content of democratic importance, in recognition of their influence over public discourse.</p><p>Ofcom’s public consultation for the illegal content duties closed in February 2024 and organisations such as the Open Rights Group were able to provide feedback on Ofcom’s proposals. As a public authority, Ofcom must act in accordance with its public law duties to act lawfully, rationally and fairly. It is unlawful for Ofcom to act in a way which is incompatible with the European Convention on Human Rights, including with regard to individual’s’ rights to freedom of expression and privacy. Ofcom must abide by these principles when developing its regulatory codes of practice and guidance for services.</p> answering member constituency Meriden answering member printed Saqib Bhatti grouped question UIN 26858 question first answered 23/05/2024 14:07:32 answering member 4818 label Biography information for Saqib Bhatti
tabling member	1447 label Biography information for Andrew Rosindell

1719092

registered interest
date	17/05/2024
answering body	Department for Science, Innovation and Technology
answering dept id	216
answering dept short name	Science, Innovation and Technology
answering dept sort name	Science, Innovation and Technology
hansard heading	Online Safety Act 2023: Data Protection
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what steps her Department is taking with Ofcom to ensure that its guidance on age (a) verification and (b) assurance under the Online Safety Act 2023 reflects data privacy considerations.
tabling member constituency	Romford
tabling member printed	Andrew Rosindell
uin	26857
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 23/05/2024 answer text <p>The Online Safety Act 2023 includes strong safeguards for user privacy. The Act includes principles that Ofcom must have regard to when recommending the use of age assurance technologies for compliance with duties in the Act. Privacy has been represented in these principles, which outline that considerations relating to privacy, as set out in the Data Protection Act 2018, apply to all uses of age assurance technologies used to comply with duties in the Act.</p><p> </p><p>Ofcom is consulting on its codes of practice and guidance, with the child safety codes of practice currently out for consultation.</p> answering member constituency Meriden answering member printed Saqib Bhatti question first answered 23/05/2024 16:13:33 answering member 4818 label Biography information for Saqib Bhatti
tabling member	1447 label Biography information for Andrew Rosindell

1719093

registered interest
date	17/05/2024
answering body	Department for Science, Innovation and Technology
answering dept id	216
answering dept short name	Science, Innovation and Technology
answering dept sort name	Science, Innovation and Technology
hansard heading	Online Safety Act 2023: Freedom of Expression
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, if she will make an assessment of the potential impact of Ofcom guidance on the Online Safety Act 2023 on freedom of expression.
tabling member constituency	Romford
tabling member printed	Andrew Rosindell
uin	26858
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 23/05/2024 answer text <p>The government recognises the importance of upholding users’ rights to free expression and privacy online. This is why the Online Safety Act 2023 has built strong safeguards for freedom of expression and privacy into the legislative framework. For example, all providers are required to give particular regard to the importance of protecting users’ freedom of expression and privacy rights when implementing measures to comply with their new safety duties. In addition, major online platforms – known as Category 1 services under the Act - will be required to put in place particular safeguards for journalism and content of democratic importance, in recognition of their influence over public discourse.</p><p>Ofcom’s public consultation for the illegal content duties closed in February 2024 and organisations such as the Open Rights Group were able to provide feedback on Ofcom’s proposals. As a public authority, Ofcom must act in accordance with its public law duties to act lawfully, rationally and fairly. It is unlawful for Ofcom to act in a way which is incompatible with the European Convention on Human Rights, including with regard to individual’s’ rights to freedom of expression and privacy. Ofcom must abide by these principles when developing its regulatory codes of practice and guidance for services.</p> answering member constituency Meriden answering member printed Saqib Bhatti grouped question UIN 26856 question first answered 23/05/2024 14:07:32 answering member 4818 label Biography information for Saqib Bhatti
tabling member	1447 label Biography information for Andrew Rosindell

1718767

registered interest
date	16/05/2024
answering body	Department for Science, Innovation and Technology
answering dept id	216
answering dept short name	Science, Innovation and Technology
answering dept sort name	Science, Innovation and Technology
hansard heading	Digital Technology: Disadvantaged
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what steps her Department is taking to help tackle digital exclusion.
tabling member constituency	Putney
tabling member printed	Fleur Anderson
uin	26777
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 23/05/2024 answer text <p>The Government has been clear that no one should be left behind in the digital age. Digital inclusion is a cross-cutting issue that spans education, employment, access to services and more. The Minister for Tech and the Digital Economy chairs the cross-Whitehall Ministerial group for digital inclusion, which aims to drive progress and accountability across Government.</p><p>In DSIT, we are taking steps to ensure support for some of the most urgent priorities such as investing £5 billion through Project Gigabit to bring gigabit-capable broadband to hard-to-reach communities or working with the telecoms industry to ensure provision of social tariffs.</p> answering member constituency Meriden answering member printed Saqib Bhatti question first answered 23/05/2024 14:10:43 answering member 4818 label Biography information for Saqib Bhatti
tabling member	4788 label Biography information for Fleur Anderson

1719945

registered interest
date	16/05/2024
answering body	Department for Science, Innovation and Technology
answering dept id	216
answering dept short name	Science, Innovation and Technology
answering dept sort name	Science, Innovation and Technology
hansard heading	Internet: Children
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what steps her Department is taking to help protect children online.
tabling member constituency	Chelmsford
tabling member printed	Vicky Ford
uin	903028
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 23/05/2024 answer text <p>Last year the government passed the groundbreaking Online Safety Act which will place much needed duties on tech companies to protect their users, especially children. We are focused on implementing the act as quickly as possible.</p><p> </p><p>In January, the government introduced new offences to criminalise cyberflashing, fake news intended to cause non-trivial harm and other online abuse. The Crown Prosecution Service has already delivered the first conviction for cyberflashing, and it will not be the last.</p><p> </p><p>On 8 May, Ofcom published its draft child safety codes. Once in force, these protections will significantly improve child online safety, ensuring companies shield children from harmful content, and stop their algorithms pushing inappropriate content at children.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Meriden answering member printed Saqib Bhatti question first answered 23/05/2024 14:06:34 answering member 4818 label Biography information for Saqib Bhatti
tabling member	4674 label Biography information for Vicky Ford

1718001

registered interest
date	14/05/2024
answering body	Department for Science, Innovation and Technology
answering dept id	216
answering dept short name	Science, Innovation and Technology
answering dept sort name	Science, Innovation and Technology
hansard heading	Subversion: Artificial Intelligence
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, if she will commission a report on the potential impact of AI on (a) democracy and (b) elections.
tabling member constituency	Barnsley Central
tabling member printed	Dan Jarvis
uin	26168
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 17/05/2024 answer text <p><strong></strong></p><p>The Government takes the threat disinformation and AI digitally manipulated content poses very seriously.</p><p>We have already seen examples of AI-driven election interference across the globe targeting elected leaders and seeking to influence democratic debate. To mitigate these risks, as part of the Defending Democracy Taskforce, DSIT is working across government to ensure we are ready to respond to risks to the UK’s democratic processes.</p> answering member constituency Meriden answering member printed Saqib Bhatti question first answered 17/05/2024 09:01:33 answering member 4818 label Biography information for Saqib Bhatti
tabling member	4243 label Biography information for Dan Jarvis