techUK statement on an amendment to introduce expanded senior management liability provisions in the Online Safety Bill
techUK and our members have worked closely with the Government and MPs on the Online Safety Bill. This is a much-needed piece of legislation which will create a regulatory framework to enable tech companies and the regulator, Ofcom, to work effectively to protect children online.
According to the Government’s own estimates more than 25,000 companies will be in scope of this new legislation. A key test of the Bill’s success will be whether it can enable these 25,000 in scope companies and the regulator to make quick and effective decisions.
The Online Safety Bill can meet this test if it is clear about what it is asking companies to do; if it enhances existing company systems and processes and if it avoids an over- expansion of scope.
Parliamentarians have proposed amendments to introduce expansive and wide-ranging senior management liability provisions to the Online Safety Bill.
As drafted, the proposed amendment (New Clause 2) creates problems for the regime which technology firms of all sizes believe will not advance the Bill’s objective to deliver an effective regime to protect children online but will damage the UK digital economy.
The Bill as drafted does have ‘teeth’ that will ensure compliance. In its unamended form, the Online Safety Bill contains senior management liability for non-compliance with Ofcom information requests and fines amounting to 10 percent of a company’s global turnover.
These sanctions are significant and create powerful incentives for compliance.
The extension of senior management liability as proposed in New Clause 2, we understand, would create liability for general non-compliance without any specific escalation process.
Such an extension would create significant legal jeopardy for firms that will be difficult to manage. This we believe will have negative effects on how the regime will operate as well as on the wider UK digital economy.
The risks we envisage would include changing the UK’s risk profile for investors and new businesses as senior managers face the prospect of criminal prosecution even when using their best endeavours to comply with the Online Safety Bill.
The proposed changes will create unecessary disincentives for senior management to be based in the UK, undermining the UK’s potential as a regional or global tech hub, an area where the UK has done well to attract significant volumes of investment as well as senior leaders and decision makers.
Further, such a widely drafted approach to senior management liability risks upsetting the balance achieved in the Online Safety Bill between protecting children online and upholding freedom of expression. This may push some companies towards a model of general monitoring and over-removal of content due to fears over liability.
techUK is working with MPs, the Government and our members to ensure that amendments to the Online Safety Bill help the Bill meet its objectives to create a safer internet while also supporting a vibrant digital economy.
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techUK is in constant dialogue with Government and policy makers to provide the perspective of the tech industry on a wide range of policy issues. Current policy engagement includes online safety, data protection, competition in digital markets, and online fraud. Get in touch to see how we can support your policy work. Visit our Digital Society Hub and complete the ‘contact us’ form.
Javahir Askari
Javahir joined techUK in June 2022, as Policy Manager for Digital Regulation.
Prior to joining techUK, she worked at the New Statesman, delivering cross sector policy research and events for their policy supplement. Javahir previously worked as part of the educational programme at the European Commission based in London, engaging with the UK's youth on the Brexit process.
Javahir holds a BA Politics and International Relations (Hons) from the University of Nottingham, an MA Human Rights from University College London, and a Postgraduate Diploma in Law from BPP University.
Neil Ross
As Associate Director for Policy Neil leads on techUK's public policy work in the UK. In this role he regularly engages with UK and Devolved Government Ministers, senior civil servants and members of the UK’s Parliaments aiming to make the UK the best place to start, scale and develop a tech business.
Neil joined techUK in 2019 to lead on techUK’s input into the UK-EU Brexit trade deal negotiations and economic policy. Alongside his role leading techUK's public policy work Neil also acts as a spokesperson for techUK often appearing in the media and providing evidence to a range of Parliamentary committees.
In 2023 Neil was listed by the Politico newspaper as one of the '20 people who matter in UK tech' and has regularly been cited as a key industry figure shaping UK tech policy.
- Email:
- [email protected]
- Twitter:
- @neil13r
- Website:
- www.techuk.org/
- LinkedIn:
- https://www.linkedin.com/in/neilross13/
Antony Walker
Antony Walker is deputy CEO of techUK, which he played a lead role in launching in November 2013.
Antony is a member of the senior leadership team and has overall responsibility for techUK’s policy work. Prior to his appointment in July 2012 Antony was chief executive of the Broadband Stakeholder Group (BSG), the UK’s independent advisory group on broadband policy. Antony was closely involved in the development of broadband policy development in the UK since the BSG was established in 2001 and authored several major reports to government. He also led the development of the UK’s world leading Open Internet Code of Practice that addresses the issue of net neutrality in the UK. Prior to setting up the BSG, Antony spent six years working in Brussels for the American Chamber of Commerce following and writing about telecoms issues and as a consultant working on EU social affairs and environmental issues. Antony is a graduate of Aberdeen University and KU Leuven and is also a Policy Fellow Alumni of the Centre for Science and Policy at Cambridge University.
- Email:
- [email protected]
- Phone:
- 07780603065
- Twitter:
- @techUKdepCEO
- Website:
- www.techuk.org/
- LinkedIn:
- https://www.linkedin.com/in/antonywalker/
Alice Campbell
As Head of Public Affairs, Alice supports techUK’s strategic engagement with Westminster, Whitehall and beyond. She regularly works to engage with ministers, members of the UK’s parliaments and senior civil servants on techUK’s work advocating for the role of technology in the UK’s economy as well as wider society.
Alice joined techUK in 2022. She has experience working at both a political monitoring company, leading on the tech, media and telecoms portfolio there, and also as an account manager in a Westminster-based public affairs agency. She has a degree from the University of Sheffield in Politics and Philosophy.
- Email:
- [email protected]
Neil Ross
As Associate Director for Policy Neil leads on techUK's public policy work in the UK. In this role he regularly engages with UK and Devolved Government Ministers, senior civil servants and members of the UK’s Parliaments aiming to make the UK the best place to start, scale and develop a tech business.
Antony Walker
Antony Walker is deputy CEO of techUK, which he played a lead role in launching in November 2013.
