IET raises concerns Online Safety Bill ‘does not go far enough’
Published: Fri 30 Sep 2022
"Today’s harrowing verdict in the Molly Russell case has once again highlighted the urgent need for policy makers to take emerging technologies that pose a serious safety risk to individuals, most notably children, seriously. It is vital legislation within the new Online Safety Bill fully protects children from online harms, particularly unregulated content. It currently does not go far enough and this is dangerous.
“We’ve already had a delay in legislation, now it seems aspects of the Bill relating to children will remain untouched. The rapid speed in which online platforms evolve, such as experiential environments accessed via virtual and augmented reality, mean new threats emerge daily. There is currently no provision within the Bill for safeguarding online users in ‘live’ scenarios where they can fully interact with strangers.
“Whether it is social media, a virtual reality headset or a metaverse gaming platform, politicians must avoid trivialising or feeling mystified by new technology platforms. Yes, there are complex factors to consider, like protecting our existing rights to freedom of expression, but that doesn't mean we can delay addressing underlying problems. We must fully safeguard the metaverse, and protect individuals online.”
ENDS
Notes to Editor
About the IET
- We inspire, inform and influence the global engineering community to engineer a better world.
- We are a diverse home for engineering and technology intelligence throughout the world. This breadth and depth means we are uniquely placed to help the sector progress society.
- We want to build the profile of engineering and technology to change outdated perceptions and tackle the skills gap. This includes encouraging more women to become engineers and growing the number of engineering apprentices.
- Interview opportunities are available with our spokespeople from a range of engineering and technology disciplines including cyber-security, energy, engineering skills, innovation, manufacturing, technology, transport and diversity in engineering.
- For more information, visit theiet.org
- Follow the IET on Twitter.
Media enquiries to:
Hannah Kellett
Head of Operational Communications
E: hkellett@theiet.org
Thanks for your patience. We’ve upgraded our systems, all part of our big picture plan to deliver a great experience for you.
Your log-in access has been reinstated for our websites and systems but should you encounter any issues, our Member Relations team is here to support you on +44 (0)1438 765678 or via membership@theiet.org.