In September 2021, Ofcom launched a review of how its net neutrality guidelines are functioning, noting that there have been significant changes since the rules were first introduced. The review takes into account the views of a variety of stakeholders, including broadcasters and content distributors, with a consultation on proposals expected later this year. We look forward to their findings.<\/p>
The Government recognises that the future of digital and telecoms infrastructure in the UK, including issues around net neutrality, is linked to the future of TV distribution. In the Broadcasting White Paper, the government reaffirmed its commitment to the future of the Digital Terrestrial Television platform (Freeview) at least until the early 2030s. It also stated that before the end of 2025, it will ask Ofcom to undertake a review on market changes that may affect the future of content distribution before the end of 2025. Next steps will be set out in due course.<\/p>
<\/p>"} , "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4361", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Matt Warman"} } , "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Boston and Skegness"} , "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Matt Warman"} , "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2022-07-25", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "groupedQuestionUIN" : {"_value" : "38489"} , "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2022-07-25T13:59:24.07Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} ]} , "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "10"} , "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Digital, Culture, Media and Sport"} , "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Digital, Culture, Media and Sport"} , "date" : {"_value" : "2022-07-18", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Internet"} , "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"} , "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"} } ], "questionText" : "To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, whether she has asked Ofcom to consider how its current review of net neutrality guidelines relates to the future of TV distribution and the enabling of affordable, inclusive reach of IP connectivity; and if she will make a statement.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/193", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Dame Siobhain McDonagh"} } , "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Mitcham and Morden"} , "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Siobhain McDonagh"} ], "uin" : "38486"} , {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1471560", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Cabinet Office"} ], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1471560/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : "
Government departments have a set of processes in place to tackle fraudulent websites set up by private companies, for example sites purporting to be government using government-type domains. The nature of the action depends on the type of site and can include asking the domain registrar to suspend the domain, reporting to Action Fraud or National Trading Standards or reaching out directly to organisations concerned to tell them to stop using misleading branding or information. In some cases, we work with the Government Legal Department to take direct legal action.<\/p>
<\/strong><\/p> Some sites, although potentially misleading, are able to operate within legal boundaries. In these cases, we work to ensure that government services are correctly listed and rank highly in search engine results. This helps to ensure that they are easy for people to find and identify as government services. Where misleading websites have paid for prominent positioning in search results, we also raise this with the relevant search engine.<\/p> <\/p>"}
, "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4200", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Lord True"}
}
, "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Lord True"}
, "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2022-06-23", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2022-06-23T16:08:23.893Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
]}
, "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "53"}
, "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Cabinet Office"}
, "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Cabinet Office"}
, "date" : {"_value" : "2022-06-20", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Internet"}
, "houseId" : {"_value" : "2"}
, "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25277", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Lords"}
}
], "questionText" : "To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of private companies using internet addresses suggesting those sites are linked to the government, such as GovNet.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/395", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Lord Blunkett"}
}
, "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Lord Blunkett"}
], "uin" : "HL1078"}
, {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1385804", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport"}
], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1385804/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : " On Wednesday 24 November 2021, DCMS published the National Data Strategy Mission 1 Policy Framework: Unlocking the value of data across the economy, which provides a framework for government action to set the right conditions to make private and third sector data more usable, accessible and available. The Framework identifies seven priority areas for action, three of which contribute to the goal of supporting the development of data sharing infrastructure within the UK.<\/p> The recently formed Central Digital and Data Office (CDDO) in the Cabinet Office is working on standardising the approach that government organisations take to the use of cloud services and data hosting and continues to regularly review strategies taken by other countries to assess their relevance for the UK government. CDDO is working closely with other parts of Cabinet Office and government departments through the One Government Cloud Strategy forum to ensure it takes a multi-functional view on all decisions.<\/p> <\/p>"}
, "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4647", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Julia Lopez"}
}
, "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Hornchurch and Upminster"}
, "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Julia Lopez"}
, "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2021-12-13", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2021-12-13T16:09:46.193Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
]}
, "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "10"}
, "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Digital, Culture, Media and Sport"}
, "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Digital, Culture, Media and Sport"}
, "date" : {"_value" : "2021-12-07", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Internet"}
, "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"}
, "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"}
}
], "questionText" : "To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, whether the Government has plans to create a domestic sovereign cloud capability similar to the European Gaia-X project.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4410", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Julian Knight"}
}
, "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Solihull"}
, "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Julian Knight"}
], "uin" : "88748"}
, {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1247133", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport"}
], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1247133/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : " The Government is committed to ensuring that the UK is the safest place in the world to be online. In April 2019 we published the Online Harms White Paper which set out our intention to establish in law a new \u2018duty of care\u2019 on companies towards their users. The \u2018duty of care\u2019 will ensure that companies have robust systems and processes in place to tackle illegal content and protect users.<\/p> We will publish a full government response to the Online Harms White Paper consultation which will provide further detail on our proposals. This will be followed by legislation, which will be ready early next year.<\/p> <\/p>"}
, "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4008", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Dame Caroline Dinenage"}
}
, "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Gosport"}
, "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Caroline Dinenage"}
, "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2020-11-03", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2020-11-03T16:10:29.617Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
]}
, "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "10"}
, "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Digital, Culture, Media and Sport"}
, "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Digital, Culture, Media and Sport"}
, "date" : {"_value" : "2020-10-30", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Internet"}
, "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"}
, "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"}
}
], "questionText" : "To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what steps he is taking to tackle offensive, harmful and illegal content online.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4601", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Andrew Bowie"}
}
, "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "West Aberdeenshire and Kincardine"}
, "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Andrew Bowie"}
], "uin" : "109546"}
, {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1246265", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport"}
], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1246265/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : " It is vital that children are protected from accessing age-inappropriate, harmful content online. The government\u2019s Online Harms legislation will establish in law a new \u2018duty of care\u2019 on companies towards their users. The \u2018duty of care\u2019 will ensure companies have robust systems and processes in place to keep their users safe and will deliver a higher level of protection for children than for the typical adult user. Details of how the online harms legislation will protect children from harmful content will be published later this year in the Full Government Response to the Online Harms White Paper consultation.<\/p> Over the past year we have been working with the BBFC and industry to drive the voluntary adoption of the BBFC\u2019s age rating symbols to Video On Demand platforms. Doing so will provide consumers with well recognised age ratings and consumer advice.<\/p> <\/p>"}
, "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4008", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Dame Caroline Dinenage"}
}
, "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Gosport"}
, "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Caroline Dinenage"}
, "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2020-11-06", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2020-11-06T11:44:14.31Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
]}
, "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "10"}
, "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Digital, Culture, Media and Sport"}
, "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Digital, Culture, Media and Sport"}
, "date" : {"_value" : "2020-10-22", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Internet"}
, "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"}
, "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"}
}
], "questionText" : "To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what assessment he has made of the potential merits of online content being age-rated and labelled using trusted BBFC classifications which reflect UK national sensitives as a result of large-scale consultation of all four UK nations.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4769", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Daisy Cooper"}
}
, "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "St Albans"}
, "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Daisy Cooper"}
], "uin" : "107747"}
, {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1238909", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport"}
], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1238909/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : " The UK\u2019s data protection laws include extra-territorial scope and allow the Information Commissioner's Office to engage in international cooperation mechanisms to facilitate effective enforcement and to provide mutual assistance through notification, complaint referral, investigative assistance and information exchange.<\/p> Both the General Data Protection Regulations 2018 and the Data Protection Act 2018 provide for extra territorial scope, which applies to organisations offering goods or services, or monitoring the behaviour of data subjects within the UK, regardless of whether the processing actually takes place in the UK or not. In certain circumstances, this may allow the ICO to take action against companies located outside of the UK. Where enforcement is required to secure the data protection rights of UK users, the ICO will apply its powers as appropriate.<\/p> The Information Commissioner has an international team responsible for engaging with data protection and information regulators globally. The Information Commissioner\u2019s investigative teams will, where appropriate, coordinate their investigative and evidence gathering activity; this may be either jointly or individually depending on the circumstances of the case. They also have operational protocols and memoranda of understanding with their international partners in support of this engagement.<\/p> <\/p>"}
, "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/39", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Sir John Whittingdale"}
}
, "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Maldon"}
, "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Mr John Whittingdale"}
, "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2020-10-07", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2020-10-07T15:38:54.717Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
]}
, "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "10"}
, "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Digital, Culture, Media and Sport"}
, "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Digital, Culture, Media and Sport"}
, "date" : {"_value" : "2020-09-29", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Internet"}
, "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"}
, "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"}
}
], "questionText" : "To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what assessment he has made of the adequacy of the powers available to the Information Commissioner's Office to enforce its decisions against search engines located outside of the UK.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/3943", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Jonathan Edwards"}
}
, "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Carmarthen East and Dinefwr"}
, "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Jonathan Edwards"}
], "uin" : "96840"}
, {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1140618", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy"}
], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1140618/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : " The Government\u2019s plan for geo-blocking online content in the event that the UK leaves the EU without a deal has been implemented through the Geo-Blocking Regulation (Revocation) (EU Exit) Regulations 2019, which were made on 18 April 2019. These Regulations will come into effect on Exit Day as defined in the European Union (Withdrawal) Act 2018, section 20.<\/p> Guidance for businesses has also been published, in the form of the following technical notice: \u2018Geo-blocking of online content if there\u2019s no Brexit deal\u2019. This was published on 12 October 2018 and is available at this link:<\/p>