Facebook Inc. (NASDAQ:FB), Twitter Inc. (NYSE:TWTR) and Google (NASDAQ:GOOG) could be asked to pay a levy to fund measures to tackle internet abuses.
UK digital minister, Karen Bradley, has today published proposals for an Internet Safety Strategy, which recommended a levy on social media and internet providers to help raise awareness and combat issues such as cyber bullying and children being exposed to online pornography.
Another proposal under the strategy includes a so-called social media code of practice to improve efforts to stop online bullying, intimidation or humiliation.
Companies could be asked to release an annual “internet safety transparency report” to show progress on such issues.
The stragegy also suggests online safety classes in schools and recommends lending support to tech startups in building internet safety into their products from the beginning.
All the measures will be initially sought on a voluntary basis with the government persuading tech giants to take part.
The government may consider taking a legislative approach should tech firms refuse to get involved.
The Conservative manifesto had vowed to make the levy a legal requirement but Bradley insisted that a voluntary route was a “quicker, more effective, and gets a better result for everybody”.
“I don’t rule out legislating if that’s what we need to do but I’m hoping to do it working with the companies,” Bradley told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme.
“We are concluding on how best we do it. Taking legislation through the House of Commons and Lords is not the easiest way to do it.”
She added: “It’s not backing away at all. It’s saying what is the best way to do this.”
Tom Watson, the Labour deputy leader, said while he was pleased to see the government take action on online safety its strategy was lacking in details.
“The government needs to say more about who exactly will pay the proposed levy, how much they will pay and how it will be spent,” he said. “And they need to explain what transparency information they will be asking social media companies to provide.”