Dear Friend,

In a few hours’ time I’ll be in Parliament to give evidence to MPs on the Online Safety Bill.

The Bill sets out how the Government plans to protect the public from bad information. But at present, it leaves us all vulnerable.

This is a crucial few weeks. Every MP will soon be able to vote on changes to the legislation that could limit the damage caused by bad information, end internet companies’ ability to make unaccountable decisions for UK internet users, and protect our freedom of expression.

MPs need to know our concerns. The more of us who get in touch, the more likely it is we’ll make a difference.

Will you ask your MP to use their vote to improve the Online Safety Bill?

Later this morning I’ll be telling MPs that as it stands, the Online Safety Bill fails to meet the Government’s aim to make the UK the safest place in the world to be online.

Our fact checkers have seen first hand how Covid-19 misinformation has undermined public health, conspiracy theories have led to offline attacks, and disinformation—including on the war in Ukraine—has spread unchecked.

We know this concerns you, too. Last month hundreds of you shared your personal experiences of bad information with us. 74% of people across the country are worried about the spread of information. 

Let’s speak up on their behalf. Can you ask your MP to make sure the Online Safety Bill protects us all from harm?

Our team has spent months scrutinising the Bill. We don’t believe it will tackle harmful mis- and disinformation in a meaningful way.

Now we must make sure MPs understand our concerns. 

All the Bill provides for in terms of tackling online bad information is an advisory committee with no actual powers. I sit on enough of these to know that if they were effective, we wouldn’t need regulation and legislation in the first place.

We don’t know what types of harmful content the Bill will cover. This needs to be made explicit so that Parliament can do its job of scrutinising effectively.

Internet companies, located in Silicon Valley, are able to make unaccountable decisions about the safety of UK internet users. There aren’t yet strong enough obligations in the Bill on internet companies to halt the spread of bad information on their platforms.

Freedom of expression is fundamental to healthy public debate. And the Bill simply lets internet companies mark their own homework when it comes to content moderation decisions, which can restrict what we all can see and share online.

All MPs should ask themselves a simple question. If the pandemic happened again tomorrow, would this Bill be strong enough to handle the fallout from harmful misinformation?

We don’t believe it is. 

If you agree MPs must take a stand, will you write to yours today?

Bad information ruins lives. But if enough of us speak up, we can make sure Parliament doesn't miss this opportunity.

With best wishes,

Will Moy—Chief executive
Full Fact