The Government is not planning to offer watering down online safety legislation as part of a deal to exempt the UK from US tariffs, a minister has said.
Dame Angela Eagle said on Monday she had seen “no corroboration that that is likely to happen” when challenged over reports such a move was being considered as a way of placating the “tech bros” that surround US President Donald Trump.
According to reports, the arrangement could see amendments to the Online Safety Act, which can currently levy significant fines on US social media companies if they fail to take down harmful content, offered in exchange for a favourable deal on tariffs.
But Dame Angela poured cold water on the suggestion during an interview on ITV’s Good Morning Britain on Monday morning, saying she “can’t imagine that we would be in a situation where we would want to see a weakening rather than a strengthening of safeguards in that area”.
While she acknowledged that “tech bros in America” had become “very close” to the new Trump administration, Dame Angela added: “I wouldn’t have thought there would be any justification whatsoever for keeping violent videos available across the globe.”
Tech company bosses such as Meta’s Mark Zuckerberg and Amazon’s Jeff Bezos attended Mr Trump’s inauguration last month, while X owner Elon Musk is a senior adviser to the president.
Dame Angela’s comments came in response to questions about the Government’s response to the murder of three young girls in Southport last year by a teenager who had watched violent videos online.
They also follow decisions by major social media companies to water down or abandon their content moderation systems that deal with harmful material, in some cases meaning videos viewed by Southport killer Axel Rudakubana are still available.
In the wake of the Southport conviction, ministers should be setting out how they will strengthen not weaken regulation
Those decisions appear to have been made in order to bring those companies into line with the laissez-faire approach of the US administration, typified by Mr Musk, an outspoken critic of both the UK and the Online Safety Act.
But a more lax approach to moderation also means those companies could run afoul of the Online Safety Act when it comes into force at the end of March, requiring social media platforms to remove illegal content and protect children from harmful or age-inappropriate material.
Companies that fail to comply with the Act face fines of up to £18 million or 10% of a company’s global revenue, whichever is greater, even if they are based abroad.
Andy Burrows, chief executive of online safety charity the Molly Rose Foundation, called on the Prime Minister to “categorically” rule out watering down the Online Safety Act as part of an agreement on tariffs.
He said: “In the wake of the Southport conviction, ministers should be setting out how they will strengthen not weaken regulation.
The Online Safety Act is already law, it’s already being implemented and over the coming months it will introduce strong protections for children in tackling illegal content online
“A strengthened Online Safety Act is not only the best line of defence against a tsunami of preventable child harm, but can add £4 billion to the economy every year. The Government should recognise that protecting children and promoting growth can go hand-in-hand, and be ready to unequivocally stand up for the UK’s children and families.”
Mr Trump has repeatedly threatened to impose a series of tariffs, most recently on steel and aluminium imports, leading to concern in London about the impact on the Government’s drive for growth.
Downing Street said there were no plans to change the implementation of the Online Safety Act, saying children’s safety would “always come first”.
The Prime Minister’s official spokesman said: “The Online Safety Act is already law, it’s already being implemented and over the coming months it will introduce strong protections for children in tackling illegal content online.”
