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U.K. Says Social Media Regulator Will Be Given ‘Teeth’ It Needs

U.K. Says Social Media Regulator Will Be Given ‘Teeth’ It Needs

(Bloomberg) -- The U.K. said its new social media regulator will be given the “teeth” it needs to ensure companies including Facebook and Twitter protect users from harmful activities such as child grooming and material inciting violence.

“Regulation without teeth is not a valuable form of regulation,” Digital Minister Matt Warman told the House of Commons on Thursday. “We will make sure that Ofcom has the resources and the enforcement powers that it says are going to be the most effective.”

The comments came a day after Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s government said it is “minded” to expand the remit of the broadcasting regulator Ofcom to include oversight of Internet content and ministers were criticized by opposition politicians and the media for failing to announce what powers it would have.

Warman insisted that, contrary to press reports, “not a single word” of Wednesday’s announcement had been “watered down” at the request of technology companies. “We are certainly not delaying,” he said, adding that the government will now proceed with talks with Ofcom, which in turn will liaise with businesses.

Asked by one Member of Parliament whether he agreed that a tech levy set at 2% of U.K. revenues was needed to fund the regulator, Warman said it was a “very interesting” suggestion.

“A levy has been much discussed -- he mentions one figure, we will obviously have to discuss with Ofcom what they consider to be the level of resources that they need,” Warman said.

To contact the reporter on this story: Alex Morales in London at amorales2@bloomberg.net

To contact the editors responsible for this story: Tim Ross at tross54@bloomberg.net, Thomas Penny, Stuart Biggs

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