Ministers and officials have regular meetings and discussions with social media platforms such as Twitter and Facebook on a range of issues, including moderating hate speech, harassment and bullying online. Details of Ministerial meetings are published quarterly on the gov.uk website.

In 2017 the former Prime Minister commissioned the Committee on Standards in Public Life’s Review of Intimidation in Public Life. Government is acting on the Committee’s recommendations, as set out in the Government’s response to the report, which was published in March 2018.

We are clear that we expect companies to do substantially more to keep their users safe and counter online abuse, particularly where this abuse is illegal. The Online Harms White Paper sets out our plans for world-leading legislation to make the UK the safest place in the world to be online. We intend to establish in law a new duty of care on companies towards their users, to ensure companies have appropriate systems and processes in place to deal with harmful content on their services to keep their users safe. Compliance with this duty of care will be overseen by an independent regulator, which will have a range of enforcement powers.

Government has also asked the Law Commission to conduct a second phase of its review of the legal framework around abusive and offensive communications online. This will make specific recommendations for legal reform and is due to report in early 2021.

The Online Harms White Paper sets out our plans for world-leading legislation to make the UK the safest place in the world to be online. We intend to establish in law a new duty of care on companies towards their users, overseen by an independent regulator. The duty of care will ensure companies have appropriate systems and processes in place to deal with harmful content on their services to keep their users safe. Compliance with this duty of care will be overseen by an independent regulator, which will have a range of enforcement powers.

Alongside the White Paper, the government published the Social Media Code of Practice. This voluntary guidance sets out actions that the Government believes social media platforms should take to prevent bullying, insulting, intimidating and humiliating behaviours on their sites.

Government has also asked the Law Commission to conduct a second phase of its review of the legal framework around abusive and offensive communications online. This will make specific recommendations for legal reform and is due to report in early 2021.

The Online Harms White Paper sets out our plans for world-leading legislation to make the UK the safest place in the world to be online. We intend to establish in law a new duty of care on companies towards their users, overseen by an independent regulator. The duty of care will ensure companies have appropriate systems and processes in place to deal with harmful content on their services to keep their users safe. Compliance with this duty of care will be overseen by an independent regulator, which will have a range of enforcement powers.

As part of the new duty of care, we will expect companies, where appropriate, to have effective and easy-to-access user complaints functions, which will be overseen by the regulator. Companies will need to respond to users' complaints within an appropriate timeframe and to take action consistent with the expectations set out in the regulatory framework

I refer the Hon Member to my answer to PQ 294108 from 8th October.

Ministers have regular discussions with their ministerial colleagues on a range of issues, including online abuse.

Companies need to take responsibility for tackling abusive behaviour on their services, including taking steps to limit anonymised users abusing their services. However online anonymity is an important principle of a free and open internet and there are many legitimate reasons why an individual would not wish to identify themselves online - including to protect whistle-blowers and empower victims of modern slavery and domestic and sexual abuse. Globally, anonymity can be especially important for allowing human rights defenders and journalists to operate, especially within authoritarian regimes, without fear of undue reprisal and detention.

Ministers and officials have regular meetings and discussions with Twitter on a range of issues, including the challenge of fake accounts. Details of Ministerial meetings are published quarterly on the Gov.uk website.

I refer the Hon. Member to the answer to PQ 294113 from 8 October 2019.

I refer the Hon. Member to the answer to PQ 294112 from 8 October 2019.

I refer the Hon. Member to the answer to PQ 294114 from 8 October 2019.

The Online Harms White Paper sets out our plans for world-leading legislation to make the UK the safest place in the world to be online. This will make companies more responsible for their users' safety online. We intend to establish in law a new duty of care on companies towards their users, overseen by an independent regulator.

The regulator will publish codes of practice, which will set out in detail the steps that companies should take to fulfill their duty of care. We envisage that, where relevant, companies will ensure their terms and conditions meet standards set by the regulator and reflect the codes of practice as appropriate. Relevant terms and conditions will be required to be sufficiently clear and accessible, including to children and other vulnerable users. The regulator will assess how effectively these terms are enforced as part of any regulatory action.

Ahead of the implementation of the new regulatory framework, we continue to encourage companies to take early action to address online harms.

Ministers and officials have regular meetings and discussions with social media platforms on a range of issues, including online abuse and threats. Details of Ministerial meetings are published quarterly on the Gov.uk website.

It has not proved possible to respond to the hon. Member in the time available before Prorogation.