Tech firms fear regulation nightmare if MPs get their way

Report into fake news could put legal burden on firms such as Twitter and Facebook to remove harmful and illegal content

Facebook, Twitter and Google could face their worst regulation nightmares if the recommendations of parliament's report into fake news, based on a leaked version published on Friday by the former campaign strategist for Vote Leave, come to pass.

The report is expected to call for the creation of a new legal framework for regulating technology firms, tightening their liabilities and imposing a requirement for them to take down "harmful and illegal content". It will argue for the end of "safe harbour" provisions, whereby platforms are not liable for content hosted by them until it is flagged to them as problematic.