How to finally bring Facebook to account | Letters

We must redefine Facebook as a publisher and not a platform so it bears responsibility for its content, says Pam Rudd. Tobacco was once ubiquitous yet many managed to quit, says Bob Walsh. We must view social media the same way

I do not believe we need to rewrite most of our regulation to accommodate the digital age as mentioned by Carys Afoko (Zuckerberg is right about regulation - but we must all act, 2 April). Many of our existing discrimination and potential harm laws are good enough. The key is to redefine Facebook as a publisher and to no longer accept the argument that they are a platform. Facebook both publishes and distributes content and, importantly, earns revenue as a consequence of the consumption of the content. It should bear the responsibility of a publisher and not be allowed to evade our existing laws. This is the only way to effect real change quickly and to not be mired in the "too difficult" box, while Facebook continues to rake in billions.

Carys argues that Facebook and Google are not responsible for racism and terrorism, but there is evidence that access to information promoting illegal behaviour does incite individuals, and it changes the tone of the environment in which we all live.
Pam Roud
Somersham, Cambridgeshire

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