Online safety protections for children are “not up for negotiation” in US trade talks, a minister has said, amid speculation they could be watered down to avoid Donald Trump’s tariffs.
Treasury minister James Murray told Sky News Breakfast with Anna Jones that the “basic protections” in the Online Safety Act for under 18s are “things we want to keep”.
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However, he appeared to leave the door open for wider concessions to the bill, which also includes measures to protect adult users.
Asked if the legislation could be altered, Mr Murray said: “Let me make a broader point about the Online Safety Act, because it’s really important for us to have those protections for children and vulnerable people online.
“Those important protections are not up for negotiation. Those basic protections are things we want to keep.
“But more broadly, we need to leave the negotiators with some space to conduct those negotiations and secure a deal.”
The strongest protections in the Online Safety Act apply to children.
The bill, passed by the Tories and being implemented this year, requires platforms to prevent them from accessing harmful and age-inappropriate content, like the promotion of eating disorders and pornography.
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The act also requires tech firms to block illegal content for all users, and give adult users tools to have greater control over the kind of content they see.
It is being regulated by Ofcom, which can fine firms up to £18m – or 10% of their qualifying worldwide revenue – while criminal action can also be taken against senior managers if they are at fault.
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Any move to water it down would likely provoke a backlash from Labour MPs, many of whom want to see the government go further with online safety protections, including a ban on social media for under-16s.
A source close to a group of backbenchers lobbying for tougher measures told Sky News on Thursday that it seemed “very obvious” US trade negotiations were impacting the government’s position, “not necessarily to the act itself but certainly in their resistance to do anything new despite significant public and political pressure”.
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There is mounting concern about violent and sexist social media content being served up to children, which has had renewed attention following the release of the Netflix drama Adolescence
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At the same time, Downing Street is seeking to strike a trade deal with the US, which it hopes could result in Mr Trump removing the 10% levy on UK imports he imposed this week as part of a global package of tariffs.
While the UK got off relatively lightly compared to the likes of the EU’s 20% rate and much higher rates for China, it comes on top of a 25% tariff on British car imports, with the measures likely to have an impact on British businesses.
As Sky News previously reported, any trade deal is likely to focus on tech, given red lines such as food standards and the NHS stalled efforts to strike a Full Trade Agreement (FTA) under the Tories.
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Tech firms have previously hit out at the Online Safety Act, while US state officials have reportedly complained about its impact on free speech to Ofcom, according to The Guardian.
On the Sky News’ Electoral Dysfunction Podcast with Beth Rigby, veteran Labour Peer Harriet Harmer urged Sir Keir to side with parents rather than “tech bros”.
Meanwhile, Rachel de Souza, the children’s commissioner for England, told Sky News that if online safety protections for children are watered down, they would have to be banned from accessing social media altogether to keep them safe.
