Rishi Sunak forced to back down on online child safety bill after another Tory rebellion

UK’s Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has been forced to back down on the Online Safety Bill.

The prime minister has been facing a major backbench rebellion after 50 MPs pressurised for an amendment that will toughen up punishments for social media bosses.

With the amendment, the technology chiefs would be held criminally liable and could face jail time for failing to block minors from seeing damaging content.

Media reports claimed Culture Secretary Michelle Donelan had effectively accepted the proposed change after talks with the rebels over the weekend.

The government had been facing defeat, with Labour also supporting the move.

Under a deal with the rebels to stave off defeat, ministers have now promised to introduce similar proposals.

It is the third time that Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has backed down in the face of rebellious backbenchers since taking power in October.

It follows concessions late last year on the issues of housing targets for councils and restrictions on onshore wind farms.

THE ONLINE SAFETY BILL

The Online Safety Bill was introduced in March under former Prime Minister Boris Johnson and has been repeatedly altered during its passage through Parliament.

Its progress was further delayed last month when the government decided to make more changes to the bill.

Under the bill, the managers of sites hosting user-generated content would be obliged to take ‘proportionate measures’ so that children can be stopped from viewing harmful content.

As per the draft law, this could be done through age verification, parental controls and taking down inappropriate content.

As of now, the bill would only make managers criminally liable for failing to give information to media regulator Ofcom.

Tech giants failing in their legal duties, including protecting children, could be fined up to 10 per cent of global revenue.

However, the Tory rebels had argued that only personal liability for company bosses would ensure the child safety provisions are effective.

UK GOVT TO INTRODUCE NEW AMENDMENT

Meanwhile, the rebels have agreed to withdraw their amendment after talks with Culture Secretary Michelle Donelan. The amendment was due to be voted on in the Commons on Tuesday.

In exchange, the government has now agreed to introduce an amendment of its own, along similar lines, when the bill gets to the House of Lords.

This would give ministers more time to work on the wording.

The government’s amendment has not yet been published, but ministers are expected to set out further details on Tuesday.