The DCMS Committee is calling on the Government to introduce new
legislation within six months to protect against online electoral
interference. MPs are also demanding a statutory veto over the
appointment of a new online harms regulator.
In the Report on the Government’s Online Harms White Paper, MPs
accuse the Government of ignoring recommendations in the DCMS
Committee’s final report intoDisinformation and ‘fake
news’ for urgent action, namely to:
-
Introduce a new category for digital spending on political
campaigns
-
Ensure information about all online political advertising
material is logged in a searchable public repository
-
Acknowledge the risks of foreign investment in elections, for
example via digital payments
-
Acknowledge the role and power of unpaid campaigns and Facebook
Groups in influencing elections and referendums, inside and
outside the designated period
, Chair of the DCMS Committee
said:
“We’re calling on the Government to bring in urgent
legislation before the end of the year to protect our democracy
against online electoral interference.
“We know that our electoral laws are not fit for purpose.
Political campaigns are fought online, not through the letter box
and our laws need to be brought up to date with the digital age.
We’ve repeatedly highlighted threats to our electoral system and
it’s essential that public confidence is restored.”
Update electoral law as matter of urgency:
MPs have given the Government a deadline of 24 July to respond to
their call for new legislation to bring electoral law into line
with digital campaigning techniques and commit to prioritising
this aspect of legislation during the current parliamentary
Session.
The DCMS Committee will take further evidence on the subject
during July 2019, including taking advice on how such legislation
might be drafted. It will also explore how anti-money laundering
regulations might be adapted to ensure political parties can be
held accountable for their financing practices in the era of
digital payment systems. MPs express concern that a
political party could participate in an election without
satisfying the Electoral Commission that it has the appropriate
financial procedures in place to meet electoral law.
The Report notes that the Online Harms White Paper has scant
focus on electoral interference and online political advertising,
both of which the Committee had highlighted as requiring urgent
action.
A further recommendation that the White Paper should include
analysis about foreign players targeting voters and whether
current legislation to protect the electoral process from malign
influence is sufficient has also been overlooked.
MPs point to their concerns about omissions in the White Paper
being shared by the Information Commissioner. In evidence,
Elizabeth Denham said was “surprised and disappointed that there
was not more focus on […] electoral interference, and on the need
for more transparency in political advertising.”
Call for statutory right to veto appointment chief executive
of new online harms regulator:
MPs are calling for the Government to demonstrate its commitment
to public confidence in the new online harms regulator by giving
the DCMS Committee a statutory veto over the appointment and
dismissal of the chief executive of the new regulator. The
Government is asked to respond by the end of July to confirm its
support for the Committee’s role in the appointment process,
including the provision of a statutory veto.
