What you need to know about the UK’s Online Safety Bill
Three years and four prime ministers after the UK government first published its Online Harms white paper—the basis for the current Online Safety Bill—the Conservative Party’s ambitious attempt at internet regulation has found its way back to Parliament after multiple amendments.
If the bill becomes law, it will apply to any service or site that has users in the UK, or targets the UK as a market, even if it is not based in the country. Failure to comply with the proposed rules will place organizations at risk of fines of up to 10% of global annual turnover or £18 million (US$22 million), whichever is higher.
A somewhat bloated and confused version of its former self, the bill, which was dropped from the legislative agenda when Boris Johnson was ousted in July, has now passed its final report stage, meaning the House of Commons now has one last chance to debate its contents and vote on whether to approve it.
