MPs call for online safety bill overhaul to protect children and penalise tech firms

Committee's report says sweeping changes needed to tackle an industry that has become the land of the lawless'

Britain's online safety bill needs a sweeping overhaul to prevent children from accessing pornography, vulnerable people from being encouraged to commit self-harm and negligent tech chiefs from failing to protect users, according to a committee of MPs and peers.

A wide-ranging series of proposals to amend the pioneering legislation also includes creating a new criminal offence for cyberflashing, punishing tech platforms for hosting fraudulent adverts, and exempting news organisations from content takedowns.

Creating a digital ombudsman to deal with complaints by individuals against platforms

Introducing codes of conduct that tackle rabbit hole" algorithms

Requiring tech companies to implement mechanisms to deal with harmful anonymous accounts

Social media companies having to reveal how many underage users are on their platforms.