Today the UK Government has given its regulatory authorities sweeping new powers to punish and censure runaway social media firms found guilty of disrupting and disturbing the peaceful operation of society:
New powers will be given to the watchdog Ofcom to force social media firms to act over harmful content.
Ofcom will have the power to make tech firms responsible for protecting people from harmful content such as violence, terrorism, cyber-bullying and child abuse - and platforms will need to ensure that content is removed quickly.
Julian Knight, chair elect of the Digital, Culture, Media and Sport Committee which scrutinises social media companies, called for "a muscular approach" to regulation.
"That means more than a hefty fine - it means having the clout to disrupt the activities of businesses that fail to comply, and ultimately, the threat of a prison sentence for breaking the law," he said.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-51446665
