UK government could hold social media execs personally liable for harmful content

The UK government is set to publish a white paper outlining a tough new duty of care on the part of social media executives, by holding them personally responsible for the distribution of harmful content on their platforms. According to the Guardian, which has obtained a leaked copy of the report, the proposals will legislate for a new statutory duty of care to be policed by an independent regulator and financed via a levy on media companies ending the current model of self-regulation. Sweeping reforms would also encompass closer government involvement to direct the regulator, likely to be Ofcom at least initially, to investigate specific issues such as terrorism and pedophilia. Social media firms would also be required to publish an annual transparency report detailing the extent of harmful content and the measures being adopted to reduce it.