• Social media platforms may have to start actively policing their platforms for content that encourages self harm if amendments to a bill a passed.
• In addition, users who post such content could be prosecuted.
• Activists and civil society groups worry this legislation is too broad.

The Online Safety Bill in the UK could force social media platforms to be more active as regards content that promotes self-harm.

Make no mistake, promoting self-harm is illegal on the island but now lawmakers want to broaden the range of content platforms would need to police.

Proposals suggest that social media firms would have to remove and limit users’ exposure to material that encourages self-harm. What this constitutes exactly is not set in stone but according to Reuters, this will be outlined next month when amendments are placed in front of parliament.

There are fears that definitions put in place by lawmakers could be too broad and as such be used to criminalise behaviour that ordinarily wouldn’t be considered illegal. For example, earlier versions of the bill reportedly sought to ban content that was legal but could be considered harmful.

While social media firms could be fined for hosting content that promotes self-harm, the bill could also prosecute those who post that content.

Much of the bill is being influenced by the death of 14-year old Molly Russell who ended her own life in 2017. A coroner reported that Russell took her life after suffering under the negative effects of online content.

As part of this same bill, the UK government last week added amendments to make it illegal to share deepfake adult content with the subject’s consent. This would be the first ban on such content, Engadget reported.

But critics of the legislation have said that the bill is poorly put together and the result is an extremely complex and incoherent piece of legislation. This could ultimately end up doing more harm than good should the legislation go through as is.

With that having been said, it’s important not to discount the power of the UK market and how its rulings have noticeable effects on companies. Most recently Meta was made to sell off Giphy after the Competition and Markets Authority ruled that the acquisition hurt competition.

It’s a troubling time to be the owner of a social media platform, especially if said platform has recently fired a large number of workers as lawmakers begin demanding greater oversight.

[Image – CC 0 Pixabay]