Question

To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what steps she is taking to reduce the number of anonymous, software-controlled ‘bot’ accounts spreading hateful messages on social media platforms.

The Government recognises the harm posed by bot-produced content online. The Online Safety Act requires social media platforms to tackle illegal content and activity on their services, including state-backed coordinated inauthentic activity where it meets the conditions of the Foreign Interference Offence.

Under the Online Safety Act, the largest platforms will be required to apply their terms of service consistently, including where these prohibit inauthentic activity. These services will also be required to offer adult users identity verification and tools enabling them to limit their exposure to content from non-verified users. We expect these additional duties to come into force in 2027.