(Newcastle upon Tyne
North) (Lab):...The related issues of online anonymity and
identification of users also emerged as important and
controversial issues, not only in our inquiry and the petitions
that prompted it, but in the wider public and policy discussion
about online abuse. The evidence we heard on the role of
anonymity in facilitating abuse was mixed. Danny Stone of
the Antisemitism Policy
Trust with whom I have worked closely as chair of
the all-party parliamentary group against
antisemitism, told us that the ability to post
anonymously enables abusive behaviour and pointed to research
demonstrating disinhibition effects from anonymity that can lead
to increased hateful behaviour. Danny cited a figure suggesting
that 40% of online antisemitic incidents over
the course of a month originated from anonymous accounts. Nancy
Kelley from Stonewall and Stephen Kinsella from Clean Up The
Internet also argued that anonymity should be seen as a factor
that increases the risk of users posting abuse and other harmful
content...
...Although we talk a lot about Twitter, Facebook and TikTok in
these discussions, abusive content hosted on smaller platforms
also plays a significant role in encouraging prejudicial
attitudes and real-world harm. Some of these platforms have
become safe havens for some of the most troubling material
available online, including holocaust denial, terrorist
propaganda films and covid-19 disinformation. From an internet
browser today, anyone can easily access videos that show graphic
footage of real-world violence and allege the attacks are part of
a Jewish plot, or find an entire channel dedicated to the idea
that black people are a biological weapon designed to wipe out
western civilisation—I could go on. Danny Stone of
the Antisemitism Policy
Trust told the Committee:
“It is not just the Twitters and Facebooks of this world; there
are a range of harms occurring across a range of different
platforms. It is sinister, we have a problem and, at the moment,
it is completely unregulated. Something needs to be done.”
(Stroud) (Con):...I will
conclude. I have kept my comments relatively short because I talk
so often about this matter. I am keen to hear from the Minister
and his opposite number, the hon. Member for Pontypridd (), about what is to come.
What we are seeing so far is very positive. It will be a very
lively piece of legislation, not least because it is massive. It
is right for such a serious piece of legislation to receive so
much scrutiny and challenge. If it has the victims of abuse at
its heart, and if we think about the whole range of different
people who experience abuse daily and about the campaigning that
is happening—supporting the FA with Kick It Out, and the racism
and antisemitism groups—it is pretty obvious
that this is the right course of action. We will be on the right
side of history pushing the Bill through. I thank the Minister
and his team for everything that they are doing...
(Pontypridd)
(Lab):...Labour believes that it is only by making senior social
media executives personally liable for failures to prevent
dangerous content from spreading, including that which glorifies
violence, racism, antisemitism, homophobia or
misogyny, that we will ensure that the social media companies
begin to take it seriously. Instead of doing the right thing, the
Government U-turned on the commitment for the Bill to have its
Second Reading before Christmas.
The Minister knows that the scale of the problem is huge, yet
despite years of warnings from Labour alongside campaigning
groups and charities alike, the Government have persistently
delayed robust action. The vast range of people, from young to
old, being impacted by online trolls hiding behind anonymity is
truly massive, and we heard powerful testimony from the hon.
Member for Stroud () about her experiences of
suffering at the hands of anonymous trolls. It is a sad fact that
women in public life see it as the norm that we are treated
online as an easy target for abuse. By all means, debate my
politics and my voting record, talk to me about my politics and
my policies, but criticising my appearance, my accent, how I look
and how I dress, just because I am a woman in public life, is
completely unacceptable.
Although we welcome some of last week’s announcements, including
the one that large social networks will be forced to let people
filter out unverified accounts in an attempt to tackle anonymous
abuse, there are still some gaping holes. They failed to address
the back-of-house issues, especially those to do with illegal
activity online. Moreover, the smaller social networks are yet to
be factored in, as outlined by the Antisemitism Policy
Trust...
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