the Online Safety Bill is a proposed law that would require companies like Facebook and Google to give authorities access to user data. The

Key Highlights :

1. WhatsApp is among the apps criticising the ’s Bill, which they say could potentially .

2. The Online Safety Bill is a new set of laws to protect and adults online.

3. If the bill becomes law, it would make social media companies have to remove illegal content deemed as harmful to children and adults.

4. The bill has been controversial since its introduction to Parliament in May 2021.

5. It has drawn criticism from two main camps: online safety campaigners and free speech advocates.

6. Despite the planned changes referring to material accessed by adults, the former argue the legislation does not go far enough to protect people from the swathes of harmful content online.

7. The boss of charity the Samaritans, Julie Bentley, said “the damaging impact that this type of content has doesn’t end on your 18th birthday”.

8. Defending the decision, she said the measure would have harmed free speech and created a “quasi-legal category”.

9. Some criticised the changes, including Labour and who called it a hugely backwards step.

     Technology companies have a moral duty to ensure they are not blinding themselves and law enforcement to the unprecedented levels of child sexual abuse on their platforms, a Government official says.

     The Government has called for a review of how social media companies are tackling child sexual abuse after it emerged that more than 1,000 children have been identified as victims in the UK since 2015.

     The review, which is due to be completed by the end of the year, will look at how social media platforms are using technology to identify and prevent abuse, and how they are working with law enforcement.

     The official said: “Technology companies have a moral duty to ensure they are not blinding themselves and law enforcement to the unprecedented levels of child sexual abuse on their platforms.

     “We need to make sure that social media companies are using the latest technology to identify and prevent abuse, and that they are working with law enforcement to ensure that perpetrators are brought to justice.”

     The review comes after the Government announced a £5 million fund to help victims of child sexual abuse.

     The fund will provide support for victims who have been affected by abuse in the past, and who need help to rebuild their lives.

     It will also provide support for victims who are currently living with the effects of abuse, and for those who are trying to find their way in the world after abuse.

     The fund will be available to victims in the UK, and will be administered by the National Crime Agency.

     The Government is also working to change the law so that people who sexually abuse children can be sentenced to life imprisonment.

     This will make it easier to bring perpetrators to justice, and will help to protect children from further abuse.

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