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Tech firms must take down abusive images in 48 hours - or face being blocked from UK
Technology firms that do not take down abusive images from their platforms within 48 hours face being blocked from the UK under new rules proposed by the government.
Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer said he was putting tech companies "on notice" to take down non-consensual intimate images, and will leave "no stone unturned" to protect women and girls. Companies will be legally required by law to remove the images within 48 hours of them being reported to them.
If they do not, firms could be fined 10% of qualifying worldwide revenue - which could amount to billions of pounds for some major platforms - or have their services banned from the UK. Ministers say tech firms should take tackling intimate image abuse as seriously as they take tackling terrorist or child sexual abuse material.
The government is making the change through an amendment to the Crime and Policing Bill, which is currently going through parliament. Media regulator Ofcom is also considering plans to treat non-consensual intimate images as the same as child sexual abuse material, which is digitally marked when found, so that any time they are re-shared, they are automatically taken down.
Additionally, the government says it will publish guidance for internet companies on how to block "rogue websites" that host this content and fall out of reach of the Online Safety Act. Sir Keir said he would "leave no stone unturned in the fight to protect women from violence and abuse".
He said the government had already taken "urgent action against chatbots and 'nudification' tools.
Amir Nisi
Creative and experienced content writer with 6+ years of experience lazy to create unique content strategy for News5 to turn website visitors into customers.
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