Encourage Big Tech to explore algorithms to undermine its causes, says MP in UK

In the UK should force online dating companies to detect and report harm to their algorithms, a parliamentary committee has recommended new legislation to improve cybersecurity.

The idea came days after the Instagram photo-sharing program said it would allow users to switch according to the timing of the post instead of being controlled by its algorithms, which were recently criticized for promoting nasty content.

The committee was responding to the provisions of the cybercrime law, which should be enacted in 2022 to protect children and adults from cyberbullying, including hate speech and things that promote sexual violence, violence or child abuse. terrorism.

After listening to 50 witnesses and receiving more than 200 recordings, the committee said the social media industry has expanded its “presence, spread and harmful effects” by creating algorithms that focus on users’ activities, such as responding, sharing or liking content. .

The affiliate committee, which was set up to thoroughly investigate the bill, also stated that records relating to self-harm and cyberflashing, or the sending of pornographic images without permission, should be banned. It also said that the meaning of hate speech must be changed.

Damian Collins, chairman of the committee, added that online companies should name decision makers who are responsible for protecting the internet.

“The company has to say it has a group of responsible people,” he said. “There is no excuse. We still do not know what Mark Zuckerberg is [chief executive of Meta] he knows. It’s his company but what does he base his decisions on? What are you going to do about it? “

Ofcom, the broadcaster, will be tasked with overseeing the technical authorities under the law and will be fined £ 18m or 10 percent annually worldwide.

Earlier this year, Prime Minister Boris Johnson signed a letter to the UK government calling for stronger action on the issue of technical legislation.

“It’s time for online giants to realize that they can’t think of themselves as nonsense,” he told the communications select committee. “They are the printers and they are responsible for what appears on their machines and the cost of online marketing was made to support this difference”.

Fraudulent online advertising it should also fall under the law, the report said, but in October, digital and cultural secretary Nadine Dorries said she was barred from including “legal advice received.”